In the Wings
by CraftyK13
Summary: Elizabeth Martin moved to Gotham to start work at Wayne Enterprises, wanting more of a challenge in her life. When a certain billionaire playboy takes interest, Elizabeth is determined to keep the relationship professional. But what happens when a villain swoops in and forces the two together unknowingly? It isn't over until the fat man squawks. Nolanverse. Bruce/OC.
1. Chapter 1

"Mr. Crowne would like to see you in his office," an assistant said, poking her head through the door. Elizabeth nodded and put down her pen. Smoothing her black pencil skirt, she walked into her boss's office. He sat behind a large desk, typing on his new PC. He looked up at her and motioned for her to sit down.

The shiny nameplate on his desk read 'Larry Crowne, CEO'. Dressed in an expensive power suit, he turned to Elizabeth and gave her a warm smile.

"I have some good news for you, Elizabeth." He pulled a letter addressed to her from one of the drawers in his desk and handed it to her. She read through it quickly and a smile crept onto her face.

"Wayne Enterprises has hired you as their new administrative assistant in Gotham. There is a flight to Gotham at 1:45 pm tomorrow; I have your itinerary here. At 9 a.m. Monday, you are to report to Mr. Lucius Fox and get the rest of your instructions from him. Wayne Enterprises has kindly provided you with an apartment and a car for you to use," Larry finished, smiling at Elizabeth. She smiled back excitedly.

"Wow, I never thought they would hire me," she said, dazed.

"You have been a wonderful assistant to me and I'll be sad to see you leave, but I think you need more of a challenge," Larry said, standing up. He held out his hand for Elizabeth to shake, which she returned quickly.

"I wish you the best of luck in Gotham, Elizabeth." Larry waved her off and she thanked him, leaving his office to pack up her things.

In less than an hour later, Elizabeth wiped the small bead of sweat off her brow. Her office was stripped of all of her personal belongings, which were in a large cardboard box. After logging out of her computer for the final time, she spun in her chair to face the large, floor-to-ceiling window in her office. The sun was setting in Metropolis, creating a fiery orange glow in the sky.

Smiling sadly, she stood up and grabbed the cardboard box, closing her office door. On her way out of the office complex, several, if not all, employees wished her luck on her new job. She reached the bottom floor and resigned her security pass to Linda at the front desk, who smiled at Elizabeth as she left the building. Elizabeth hailed a taxi and hopped in.

"Corner of 5th and Brass, please," she said to the driver. He nodded and sped off into the busy streets.

On her way back home, Elizabeth drank in every detail of Metropolis, taking in its beauty.

The cab ride was over faster than usual, it seemed to Elizabeth who paid the driver and got out. Taking a deep breath of the spring air, she unlocked her apartment door and set the box down on the kitchen counter.

Her apartment was small, but it served its purposes. Going to her bedroom, Elizabeth quickly changed into some sweats and a tank top. Pulling her hair into a bun, she got straight to work.

Starting in the living room and making her way through the apartment, Elizabeth sorted her things into two piles: take to Gotham or send to Goodwill. With most of her belongings in the 'Goodwill' pile, she boxed the remainder of her things and set them down by her front door. The things she wanted to give away were also boxed up but were kept in the living room.

Finally noticing that it was late, Elizabeth crawled into bed and instantly fell asleep.

Her alarm buzzed at 5:45 the next morning. Elizabeth hit 'snooze' and dragged herself to the shower.

The warm water worked miracles for her, working better than any coffee. Sighing, she switched off the water and grabbed a towel from the rack. Wrapping the towel around her, Elizabeth stepped out of the shower and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

Long, curly brown hair and deep blue eyes greeted her. Elizabeth's features were plain, but they flowed together, making her natural beauty apparent. Aside from a slight dusting of freckles across her nose, nothing marked her smooth face.

Shaking her head to get rid of her daze, Elizabeth began getting ready. Sticking to her usual routine, she dried her hair and straightened it. Then she did her makeup; she used a light foundation, drew a thin line of eyeliner on the top of her eyelids, and applied some mascara.

Elizabeth stepped into her bedroom and picked a more comfortable, yet still business appropriate attire for her plane ride to Gotham. She ended up choosing a dark grey pencil skirt and a midnight blue, silk blouse and quickly got dressed. After dabbing on some perfume and slipping on her black pumps, Elizabeth opened the door for the movers to come in.

"All of the boxes in the living room are to be donated and everything else needs to be shipped to this address," she instructed, giving a slip of paper to the head mover. He nodded and got him and his men to work. Elizabeth made sure she left enough cash for a large tip as she grabbed her coat, purse, and luggage.

She made her way through the halls, down the elevator, and into the nicely furnished lobby. After handing Bennet, the landlord, the keys to her apartment, Elizabeth hailed a cab and instructed him to drive her to the airport.

The cab ride was short and Elizabeth wheeled her luggage inside to check in her bags. The three large suitcases cost a little more than Elizabeth thought they would, but waved it off as she stood in line for the security check. She slipped off her heels and placed all of her belongings in the plastic bins.

The alarm went off as Elizabeth stepped through the metal detectors and had a TSA agent wave a wand over her. The detector picked up a strong metal signal in the middle of her stomach. Irritated, Elizabeth unbuttoned a few buttons in the middle of her shirt to show the agent her harmless navel piercing. The agent nodded and waved her away as she buttoned the shirt back up.

Later, Elizabeth could be seen leisurely strolling through the airport with a fresh latte in her hand. She found the correct terminal for her flight and sat down, patiently waiting for her flight to board.

"Flight three-twenty to Gotham may begin boarding," a cool female voice announced over the intercom. Elizabeth trashed her empty coffee cup and gave her boarding pass to a male flight attendant. He nodded, allowing her to go through the hallway. Elizabeth found her first class seat, provided by Wayne Enterprises, and stowed her belongings beneath her chair as she sat down.

As the last passenger boarded the plane, a flight attendant began going over the rules and safety procedures. A few minutes after she had finished, the pilot announced their departure and ETA to Gotham.

Sighing, Elizabeth closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep during the short flight.

"Excuse me, miss," a pretty flight attendant said, softly shaking Elizabeth awake. "We are about to begin our descent."

Elizabeth nodded and put her chair in the 'upright' position, calmly waiting to land. The flight attendants allowed the first class passengers to leave first, allowing Elizabeth to quickly escape the claustrophobic space.

Taking a deep breath of fresh air, she began heading to the baggage claim to collect her luggage. Twenty minutes and three suitcases later, Elizabeth went to the lobby where a chauffer with a sign that read 'Martin' was waiting for her.

"Miss Martin?" he asked. Elizabeth nodded. "I am David and I will be driving you to your apartment. Let me take a few suitcases, please," he said. Elizabeth handed him two suitcases and followed him out to the black town car waiting at the curb. David helped her put the luggage in the trunk and helped her inside the luxurious car. Sitting quietly, Elizabeth checked her Blackberry for any new e-mails. When she had received none, she leaned her head against the back of the seat and closed her eyes.

"Long flight, miss?" David asked from the front seat.

"No. I only flew in from Metropolis. I just hate flying. It makes me nervous," she explained.

"I understand," he said sympathetically. "I don't particularly enjoy flying myself. It's too small of a space for me."

"Exactly," Elizabeth said, nodding in agreement. David drove in silence, twisting and turning through the streets of Gotham until he stopped in front of a tall apartment building. There was a covered awning draped in red fabric that had the name of the building in gold lettering. There were expensive potted plants near the entrance and a doorman dressed in a black suit heading to the car.

David opened the door for Elizabeth and helped her out of the car. The doorman approached Elizabeth and tipped his hat.

"Good afternoon, miss," he said politely. "My name is Theodore. Allow me to help," he said, grabbing a suitcase and Elizabeth's carry-on bag. David took the remaining bags and headed inside.

The lobby was decorated finely with sculptures, paintings, and expensive furniture. Approaching the front desk, Elizabeth received the keys to her new apartment and a complimentary bottle of champagne.

Accompanied by Theodore and David, Elizabeth rode up to the twentieth floor and found 207. She unlocked the door with her shiny key and stepped inside. Theodore and David followed suit and left her bags by the door.

"Thank you so much," she said gratefully, tipping them handsomely. David and Theodore left after wishing her well on her first night in her new apartment.

Elizabeth locked the door and dropped her keys into a small bowl on a table. She took off her coat and hung it in the closet. Looking at her new apartment, Elizabeth's lips quirked up into a smile.

The apartment was far nicer than anything she had ever seen. The marble counter tops of the kitchen gleamed in the dim lighting. The stainless steel appliances were brand new and top of the line. Moving into the fully furnished living room, Elizabeth took note of the large leather couch facing a beautiful fireplace. The dark brown stones used to build the mantle tied the room together. A towering bookcase stood next to the fireplace and it was filled with books.

Elizabeth stepped into her bedroom and giggled softly. The walls were a pale blue with white trim, which matched the white furniture. A floor-to-ceiling window was placed at the eastern side of the room so she would get the full effects of the sun rising in the morning. Her room overlooked Grant Park, which was currently filled with people.

The joined bathroom was simple, with white surfaces and nice counter tops. A tiled shower stood in the left corner and a sparkling white tub just before it to her left. Elizabeth went back into the main room and grabbed her things, taking them to her bedroom to unpack.

She started with her clothes, as those would take the longest. Elizabeth placed the clothes in the walk in closet or the dresser on the opposite side of her bed. When she finished, she placed the suitcases on the top shelf of her closet and changed into some sweats.

Emptying her carry-on bag, Elizabeth plugged in her laptop and placed it on the desk in the living room. She sat down and checked her e-mails. There was one from her sister and a whole lot of junk mail. Elizabeth quickly responded to her sister then looked at the time. It was a quarter to six. Time for dinner.

Elizabeth got up to look in the fridge and found it empty. She made a mental note to go grocery shopping tomorrow, as it would be Sunday. She started work at Wayne Enterprises on Monday. Grabbing her red Blackberry, she called a local Chinese place that delivered and had it delivered to her apartment.

Her food was delivered in no time and Elizabeth gave the delivery boy a nice tip as she closed her door. She sat down at the bar and ate her food quickly then threw away the trash. Deciding to take a quick shower, Elizabeth hopped inside the stall and stood underneath the hot water.

Closing her eyes, Elizabeth leaned against the wall and sighed. The hot water was amazing after her long day of traveling and unpacking. Tomorrow would be worse though, as the rest of her belongings from her old apartment would be arriving and she had to go grocery shopping.

Elizabeth quickly washed her hair and body and got out, wrapping a fluffy towel around her body. She changed into a tank top and shorts and crawled into her new bed. She turned off the light and fell asleep instantly.

The next day was long and tiring, but Elizabeth managed to get all of the groceries she needed and put them away before the rest of her belongings arrived. She put them where they belonged and made some dinner before going to bed early. Elizabeth needed to be up early so she could be sure to get to Wayne Tower on time. It was exciting, starting a new job.

She had heard many things about Wayne Enterprises, not all of them positive, but many things regardless. Her old boss, Larry Crowne, was nice, but the job she occupied was too easy. Elizabeth needed a challenge. And that challenge happened to be working at Wayne Enterprises.

Smiling, Elizabeth pulled the comforter over shoulders and closed her eyes, falling asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Elizabeth woke to her alarm buzzing and she quickly shut it off. Rolling over, she stretched and smiled to herself. Today was her first day at Wayne Enterprises. She had to be at Wayne Tower by nine to meet Lucius Fox for further instruction. Since she had no time to waste, Elizabeth got in and out of the shower in record time. She dried her hair and straightened it then applied her usual makeup.

Stepping into her walk in closet clad in her undergarments and nude hosiery, she sifted through her blouses, trying to decide what to wear. Elizabeth wanted to seem professional, but youthful. Finally choosing an emerald green silk button down blouse, she chose a light grey pencil skirt to wear with it. She slipped into a pair of black pumps and grabbed the blazer, which matched the skirt.

Grabbing her purse, Elizabeth made sure her wallet, Blackberry, and car keys were inside before leaving the apartment. She took the elevator down to the garage where her car was parked.

The sleek, black town-car started with a roar as Elizabeth buckled her seatbelt. She entered the address of Wayne Tower into her GPS and followed the instructions. A tall, black building stood before her as she parked in the company garage. Elizabeth quickly made her way to the lobby and the front desk. A young man in a suit greeted her.

"Name and time of appointment, please," he said.

"Elizabeth Martin, nine o'clock," Elizabeth replied. The man nodded.

"Yes. Mr. Fox wants to meet you in his office. Take the elevator to the top floor. Tiffany will greet you there and send you into his office," he finished, giving her a professional smile.

"Thank you," Elizabeth said, returning his smile. She took the elevator to the top floor as instructed and entered a large room with doors leading to other rooms. To her right, was a desk occupied by a young woman with blond hair. She looked up at Elizabeth and smiled.

"Hello, Ms. Martin. I'm Tiffany," she said, stepping out from behind her desk. Elizabeth smiled.

"Please, call me Liz," Elizabeth said, shaking her hand. Tiffany began leading her to a door ahead on her left.

"Mr. Fox is waiting just inside," Tiffany said, stopping at the door. Elizabeth nodded and went in to the large office. An African-American man with white hair greeted her from behind a desk to her right.

"Ah, Miss Martin, thank you for coming," he said happily, coming around to shake her hand.

"Call me Elizabeth, sir," Elizabeth said politely as she returned the handshake. Mr. Fox smiled while he led her to an armchair and sat down in the one opposite of her.

"Elizabeth, it is a pleasure to hire you here. I have heard many things regarding your talents from your old boss. Our last secretary, unfortunately, had to move to be with his family," Lucius said regretfully. "Your desk is just outside and you may furnish it with personal belongings of your choice. The hours you work are the same all throughout the week, except for when Mr. Wayne or I give you time off. You need to be here at nine a.m. Monday through Friday and you are off the clock at six p.m. every evening. You have the weekends and citywide holidays off. If you need to call in sick, please be sure to do so before your shift starts. Your job is quite simple; answer the phone, write down any messages, file paperwork, and inform Mr. Wayne or I of any news," he finished. Elizabeth nodded, taking it all in. Lucius smiled and stood up. "I look forward to your time here, Elizabeth."

"As do I, sir," she replied, smiling. Lucius led her out of his office and to her desk, which sat in-between two doors, one which led to his office and Mr. Wayne's.

"If you need anything, please come in any time," Lucius said before retreating back to his office. Elizabeth sat down and placed her purse in a drawer at the bottom of her desk. She opened up her company email program and waited patiently.

For the next twenty minutes, nothing happened and Elizabeth just sat there. She decided to get herself a cup of coffee and realized she had no idea where to go. She looked over at Tiffany, who was typing away at her computer.

"Hey, Tiffany," Elizabeth called. She looked up at Elizabeth questioningly.

"Yes?"

"Is there anywhere to get some coffee?"

"Yes! Down the hall on your right are the bathrooms, the file room, and the break room is the second door to your left," she replied helpfully. Elizabeth nodded and smiled, making her way down the hallway. She found the break room easily and made herself a hot cup of coffee. After looking through the refrigerator for some creamer, Elizabeth drowned her coffee in it. She didn't like the taste of coffee as much as she liked the sweet, vanilla creamer.

She came back into the lobby where Tiffany was on the phone, talking about a meeting of some sort. She hung up and looked at Elizabeth.

"There's going to be a board meeting next week on Tuesday. We need to get a caterer to deliver some food that day and make sure that the people down in accounting get their reports finished," she informed, walking over to Elizabeth with a list of things to get done. Elizabeth took it and placed it in her planner. "So," Tiffany began, sitting on the edge of Elizabeth's desk. "How do you like Gotham so far?"

"It's almost the same as Metropolis," she replied. "Except my apartment is far nicer."

"Yeah. Wayne Enterprises makes sure the higher ranked employees live somewhere nice. They don't want someone who works up here to be living in the Narrows. It looks bad for the company," Tiffany explained, throwing her golden locks over her shoulder.

"Well, it's really nice, so I'm not going to complain," Elizabeth said. Tiffany nodded.

"Where do they have you holed up?"

"In an apartment complex by Grant Park."

"Really? Me too! Which apartment are you?"

"207," Elizabeth said.

"I'm a floor below in 110," she replied excitedly. "Oh you'll have to come over for a girls night!"

"Yeah, that sounds like fun," Elizabeth said, trying to act enthusiastic. She didn't really have many friends back in Metropolis, as she was married to her job. If Wayne Enterprises were anything like Crowne Inc., there would be little to no free time.

"It'll be great! We'll watch some movies, eat tons of junk food, and do each other's nails!" Tiffany said, clapping her hands together. Just then, the phone rang on Tiffany's desk, saving Elizabeth from replying. She scurried to her desk and picked up the phone. Elizabeth's phone rang then too, making her jump.

"Hello, Wayne Enterprises," she answered professionally.

"Yes, I'm calling to inform Lucius Fox that I'll be a little late for our business dinner tonight," said a deep voice. "I'll be…skydiving."

"Ok, may I have your name, sir?" asked Elizabeth, getting a pen and notepad to write the information down.

"Bruce Wayne," replied the voice. Elizabeth gasped quietly. She was on the phone with the man who owned the company! The mysterious Bruce Wayne. The man who made headlines on the tabloids, the man who had a pretty model on his arm at every social function.

"Ok, Mr. Wayne, I will let Mr. Fox know of your delay," Elizabeth said, setting down her pen.

"I don't recognize your voice," he said. "You must be the new secretary Lucius hired."

"Uh, yes, I am," replied Elizabeth shakily. _How did he know?_

"Welcome to Wayne Enterprises," he said. "I hope you find the rest of your time here to be enjoyable."

"I'm sure I will. Thank you, Mr. Wayne."

"Please, call me Bruce, Miss Martin," Bruce said, sending chills down Elizabeth's spine.

"Just as long as you call me Elizabeth," she replied.

"Well, Elizabeth, it's been a pleasure chatting with you. I look forward to meeting you soon," he said. Elizabeth bit back a smile.

"Likewise, Bruce. Have a good day," she said.

"Goodbye," he hung up, leaving Elizabeth grinning like a fool.

"_Stop that!"_ she said to herself. _"You cannot get involved with your boss!"_

Elizabeth sighed, for her conscience was right. It was unprofessional to get involved with your boss, especially when he owned the prestigious company that practically ran the city.

Running a hand through her hair, she got up, bringing the note with her. Elizabeth knocked on Lucius' door.

"Come in," he replied. Elizabeth went in and stood in front of his desk.

"Mr. Wayne called. He said that he would be late for your business dinner this evening," she informed him dutifully. He nodded.

"Did he say what he would be doing that would make him late?" he asked, a small smile forming on his lips.

"Yes; skydiving," Elizabeth, replied. Lucius started laughing and gave her a stack of papers.

"Thank you, Elizabeth. Could you please file these for me? The filing room is the first room on the left in the hallway."

"Of course," she responded, taking the papers from him. Elizabeth left his office and tried to get into the filing room, but it was locked.

"Tiffany?" she asked. The blond in question looked up from her computer. "I can't get into the filing room."

"Oh! That's right. You need your keys and badge. I totally forgot!" Tiffany cried out, searching through her drawer for something. She pulled out a ring of keys and handed them to Elizabeth. "All of these keys are labeled with the room number that they unlock. Please don't lose these! If you do, anyone could get in to the building and we cannot have that," Tiffany warned. "Now if you'll come with me, we can get your picture taken for your ID badge. All Wayne Enterprises employees need to have one."

Tiffany brought Elizabeth to her desk and pulled out a camera.

"Smile!" she said, taking her picture. Elizabeth gave a professional smile as the camera flashed. Tiffany plugged the camera into her computer and proceeded in making Elizabeth's ID. While Tiffany was busy, Elizabeth went to file the papers Lucius had given her. The keys worked and Elizabeth was in the filing room. She looked at the subject that was written on the folder and found the corresponding cabinet. Tiffany came in and handed Elizabeth her badge.

"Here's your badge. Instead of going to the welcome desk in the lobby every morning, you just scan your badge at the elevator and it unlocks. The badge also lets you enter rooms that don't have keys," she explained. Elizabeth took the badge and clipped it to the waistband of her skirt. The two girls exited the filing room and got back to work.

For the rest of the day, Elizabeth answered the phone, responded to emails, and informed Lucius of any news. Before she knew it, it was six o'clock. Elizabeth logged out of her computer and grabbed her purse from the drawer. She put her blazer back on and waited for Tiffany at the elevator.

"So, how'd you like your first day of work?" she asked, pushing the button to take them down.

"I really like it. I'm sure the pace will pick up soon, so I'm not waiting around for things to do," Elizabeth replied.

"Things should get busier once the board meeting gets closer. People always want to present things to the board at every meeting, so we'll be getting lots of phone calls and emails from people. We just forward the information to Lucius and he decides what's going to be presented at the meeting."

"Okay, sounds simple enough."

"It really is," Tiffany said, nodding. They went down to the company garage together and went their separate ways.

"Have a nice night!" Tiffany called out, getting in her car. Elizabeth waved back, getting inside her own.

She drove home quickly, despite the traffic, and ate dinner on the couch. It was pretty lonely, so she decided that she would have to acquire a pet; something small, like a cat. Elizabeth nodded to herself and thought it would be best to go this weekend.

Yawning, she got up and did the dishes, and when she finished, she went to bed. The day had been exhausting, but in a good way. She was very satisfied with her new job and was very excited to be working there. Closing her eyes, Elizabeth fell into the land of dreams as soon as her head hit the pillow.


	3. Chapter 3

The rest of the week had gone smoothly and before Elizabeth knew it, it was Friday night. She logged out of her computer and made sure she had given Lucius everything she needed to before she grabbed her purse from the drawer. Tiffany was waiting for her at the elevator, just like she did every day, and pushed the button. The two women got in the elevator and Tiffany pushed the 'Level 1' button.

"So, a group of us are going to have a drink, would you like to join us?" she asked, hopeful.

"Uh, sure. Where are we going?"

"The Iceberg Lounge. It's in the Diamond District, not too far from here," Tiffany replied, smiling. "Kyle and Anthony from accounting are going to meet us there."

"Okay, sounds fun," Elizabeth said. She got in her car and programmed the address in the GPS and followed its instructions. Elizabeth arrived at the address and parked alongside the curb.

The outside of the lounge looked like an actual iceberg; a look-a-like iceberg was on the top of the building with blue lights filtering through it. Elizabeth saw Tiffany with two men and went over to them.

"Liz! This is Kyle," she said, motioning to a man in a suit. He was tall and slim with green eyes and fiery red hair. He gave Elizabeth a smile and a wave. "And this is Anthony," Tiffany motioned to the other man beside her. He was tall, but unlike Kyle, very muscular. He had black hair and grey eyes that twinkled with mischief. Anthony stepped forward and grabbed Elizabeth's hand, kissing her knuckles.

"It's a pleasure, Elizabeth," he said smoothly. Elizabeth felt her cheeks become inflamed with a blush. She smiled and nodded back at him.

"Likewise, Anthony," she replied shyly. Anthony offered her his arm, which she took gladly. The foursome entered the lounge and sat at a booth in the back corner. Elizabeth observed the lounge and found she really liked the décor.

The lounge was built to look as if the customers were inside an iceberg. The walls were painted an icy blue and icicle lights hung above each table. The bar was made with a frosted glass counter and behind the counter, the bottles of alcohol sat on an ice block shelf. Much like the iceberg outside, blue lights filtered through the shelf, giving the lounge an icy feel.

"What can I get you?" a waiter asked, prepared to take their orders.

"I'll have your ice-vodka martini, please," Tiffany ordered.

"I'll take a scotch," Kyle said.

"How about a gin tonic?" Anthony asked. The waiter nodded and turned to Elizabeth.

"I think I'll try the Arctic Blizzard," she said.

"Anything to eat?" the waiter asked.

"We'll take a double order of the oysters," Anthony said, handing the waiter the menus.

"I'll have your orders back momentarily," the waiter said, going to the bar.

"Elizabeth, how's work been?" Kyle asked.

"It's been good. I really like working there," she replied. Everyone nodded.

"Hey, I heard Cassandra from publicity is seeing Mark from your department," Tiffany said, giggling.

"What?" Kyle cried. "Why would she get with him? She's a total babe and he's a douche."

"Right? I asked Mark for his reports last month and he's like, 'I'll give them to you when I want to'. Such a dick," Tiffany said, rolling her eyes and flipping her hair behind her shoulder. Elizabeth's eyes began wandering around her, bored with the usual office gossip. Her eyes landed on a table across the lounge in the opposite corner.

A chubby man sat surrounded by big, burly guys who did not look friendly. The man was wearing a tuxedo and a monocle, which was odd for this time period. He had a long, beaky nose and slicked back black hair. His eyes, from what Elizabeth could see, were small, black and beady, much like a birds. He was very sinister looking because of the scar that ran from the top of his left eyebrow down to his jaw.

"Watcha looking at?" Anthony asked, pulling Elizabeth's attention away from the odd-looking man in the corner.

"That man, who is he?" she asked, gesturing to the man in the corner.

"Ah, that's Oswald Cobblepot. He owns this lounge," Anthony explained quietly. Elizabeth nodded and looked back at Oswald. At that moment, he looked back at her. His beady little eyes stared at Elizabeth threateningly. Elizabeth shivered and looked away, taking a sip of her drink. The alcohol burned her throat as it went down, but it wasn't painful.

The four co-workers continued to drink for about an hour. Elizabeth looked down at her watch.

"Hey, guys, I think I'm gonna head home. I'm exhausted," Elizabeth explained. Everyone at the table groaned.

"Oh, come on! It's only eight-thirty!" Tiffany complained. "Stay for just a few more minutes. Get one more drink! It's the end of your first week, you need to celebrate it properly!"

"Yeah, come on Lizzy," Anthony begged, giving her puppy-dog eyes. Elizabeth flinched at being called 'Lizzy', but decided to stay.

"All right, I'll stay. But just one more drink!" she announced. Her tablemates cheered and called the waiter back over to order more drinks.

A few more minutes turned into an hour, and that hour soon turned into two.

"Okay, seriously, I need to get home!" Elizabeth cried. Tiffany was piss drunk and Kyle wasn't far behind her.

"Okie-dokie, Liz-poo," Tiffany said, her speech garbled. "I'll see ya' on Monday. Don't be late!" she ordered, raising her drink to Elizabeth in a threatening way. Elizabeth nodded and smiled at Tiffany's drunken behavior.

"Toodles, Liz, darling," Kyle said, standing up to give her a hug. Elizabeth returned it and stepped back; his breath reeked of alcohol.

"I'll walk you to your car," Anthony offered. Elizabeth nodded and exited the lounge.

The autumn air was chilly and it made Elizabeth shiver. She pulled her coat around her tighter as she walked to her car. Anthony helped her inside and she rolled the window down.

"Thanks for walking me out," she said, looking in to his eyes.

"It was no problem. I think I'm gonna head out too."

"I had fun. We should do this again."

"Definitely. Well, I'll catch you later, Lizzy," he said, giving her a wave as he walked away from her car. Elizabeth pursed her lips and rolled up her window, turning the heat on high. She really hated it when people called her 'Lizzy'. It reminded her of her mother. And her mother was someone she would rather forget.

Shaking it off, Elizabeth adjusted her rear-view mirror and caught sight of Anthony. He looked around and ducked into an alley. Curious, Elizabeth got out of her car and quietly went up to the alley. She peeked around the corner and saw him talking with that Oswald man. Oswald handed him a package and in return, Anthony handed him a wad of cash. They shook hands and Anthony began to walk out of the alley.

Elizabeth scrambled to hide and chose to squat behind a trash bin. When she heard his footsteps disappear in the other direction, she slowly stood up. Sighing in relief, she turned to go back to her car, but ran into something. Or someone.

She gasped as she saw Oswald grinning up at her. Elizabeth gulped and took a step back, trying to calm her heart down.

"It's Elizabeth, isn't it?" he asked, his squawky voice instantly becoming annoying. Elizabeth nodded. "I saw you inside my lounge. Tell me, did you enjoy the drinks?" he asked, as if genuinely curious.

"Y-yes. They were good," she replied shakily. His smile grew more, if possible.

"Good, good! That's what I like to hear. Allow me to walk you back to your car," he said, leading the way. He had a black umbrella that he was using as a cane, giving his walk a bit of a limp. His henchmen waited for her to start walking and when she did, they followed.

They arrived at her car and Oswald held the door open for her. Elizabeth carefully got in her car and went to close the door, but he held on.

"Have a good night, Elizabeth. Drive safe. We wouldn't want this pretty little car of yours to get wrecked, now would we?" he said, a threatening gleam in his eyes. Elizabeth paled and felt her heart drop. Oswald laughed and slammed her door shut. Elizabeth locked her doors quickly and tried to put the key in the ignition, but her hands were so shaky that she kept missing.

Taking a deep breath, she steadied her hand and managed to get the car to start. She shot out of her parking spot and sped back to her apartment. Locking her car, Elizabeth ran to the elevator and hit the 'close' button repeatedly. She didn't calm down until she had gotten inside her apartment and locked the door. Gasping for breath, she slid down her door and put her head in her hands.

"_What the hell was that?"_ she asked herself. Anthony was clearly doing some shady business with Oswald and didn't want to get caught. Different possibilities started surfacing in her mind of what was in that package. _Weapons? Drugs?_ The latter was most probable, but it still put Elizabeth on edge.

Standing shakily, Elizabeth staggered into her bedroom, the adrenaline wearing off and the full effect of the alcohol taking its toll. She began to undress and went into the bathroom for some water. After gulping down a glass, she brushed her teeth and got into bed. The comforter acted like a security blanket, erasing Elizabeth's fears and lulled her to sleep.

"_Lizzy, come here, please," her mother called. Elizabeth straightened her braid and went into her mother's bedroom. The stink of weed hit her in the face as she stepped inside. The curtains were shut and the only source of light was the TV on the dresser. _

"_Yes, mother?" a six year old Elizabeth asked. _

"_Can you go to the corner and pick up a package for me? Doug has it and I can't get up now. Can you do that for mommy?" her mother cooed. Elizabeth looked up at her mother who was sitting in bed, smoking a blunt. She nodded slowly and saw her mother smile. "Thank you, Lizzy. Take this money and give it to Doug," she said, handing Elizabeth a wad of wrinkly cash. Elizabeth took it and got out of the room as fast as she could, going outside in the fresh air. _

_The sun was shining, giving off a happy glow. It was far from happy at the Martin household. Ever since her father died, Elizabeth had been living with her drug addict mother and older sister. Anne had taken charge and took care of Elizabeth. She worked every night at the diner and went to school everyday without fail. Anne had been saving so that when she turned eighteen, her and Elizabeth could move out of that hellhole. _

_ Elizabeth walked down to the corner where Doug, her mother's drug supplier, stood. She approached him and handed him the wad of cash. He counted it quickly and handed her the package. _

_ "Get outta' here, kid," he said gruffly, shuffling back to his house. The package was heavy and it felt like flour or sugar in Elizabeth's tiny arms. She scurried back to her house where her mother was waiting expectantly. Elizabeth struggled up the stairs and stepped inside her mother's room. _

_ "I have your package," Elizabeth squeaked and sat the package down on the bed. Her mother turned and glared at her. _

_ "What the hell took you so long?" she screeched. Elizabeth jumped and took a few steps back. "I have been waiting for ages, you stupid little bitch!"_

_ "But, it only took me a few minutes-'' Elizabeth started. Her mother shot out of her bed and stormed over to Elizabeth. She slapped her face hard and the sound echoed through the house. Elizabeth fell down and clutched her cheek, which was now bleeding. _

_ Anne sprinted into the bedroom, having heard the slap from down the hall._

_ "What the hell, mom? Why did you slap her?" she cried out, crouching down to Elizabeth, who was starting to cry. _

_ "Because, Annie," her mother spat out. "This whiny little twit took too long to get me my package!" she cried out indignantly. She took a drag from her blunt and exhaled the sweet smelling smoke. _

_ "Your package? What, of your precious drugs?" Anne yelled back, furious. "You love your drugs more than you love us!"_

_ "Now Annie, you know that's not true," her mother whined. "I love you too more than anything. You're my angels," she said softly, an expression of love on her face._

_ "No, you don't. That's it!" Anne screamed. She picked Elizabeth up and ran back to their shared bedroom and sat her down on the bed. "We're going to get out of here, okay Liz?" she said quietly, as she started packing clothes for her and Elizabeth. She finished quickly, as they didn't have many clothes between the two of them. Anne dug underneath her mattress and pulled out a pillowcase, which was filled with cash. Those were the tips and weekly paychecks Anne had been saving for months. _

_ Turning to Elizabeth, Anne picked her up and grabbed the suitcase. They went down the stairs and out of the house. Their mother chased them down the street, screaming obscenities at them. _

_ "It's okay, sweetie, we're never coming back. She'll never hurt you again," Anne said comfortingly, kissing Elizabeth's injured cheek. She nodded and buried her head in Anne's shoulder; tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks. _

Elizabeth woke gasping and rushed to the toilet to puke. The memory of leaving her mother's house was still fresh in her mind. She felt her cheek and was relieved when nothing was there. Taking a shaky breath, she stood up and washed her face with some cold water and brushed her teeth again.

Glancing at the clock, Elizabeth saw it was only six thirty. Deciding not to go back to bed, she turned on the tap for the bath and waited for the water to get warm before putting the stopper in the drain. She rifled through the linen closet and found some lavender bath salts. Elizabeth poured some in the tub and undressed, leaving her clothes on the floor.

She stepped in the tub and sat down, closing her eyes. Still shaky from her nightmare, she pushed her hair away from her face and took deep, calming breaths. As time passed, Elizabeth felt herself relax into the warm water. She dunked her head in the water and washed it quickly so she could spend the rest of the time resting. After a while, the water turned cold, and Elizabeth got out. She grabbed a towel and wrapped her hair in it. Grabbing her bathrobe, she tied it around her body tightly and exited the bathroom.

Elizabeth put on a pot of coffee and went to check her email. There was one from her sister. _How odd_ she thought. She looked at it and saw that it said 'Happy birthday'.

_"Is it September 18__th__ already?" _she wondered to herself. Looking at her calendar, she saw that it was true.

"It looks like I've just gotten older," she said aloud. Twenty-five. Time was just going by. It was as if she was that trembling six year old just the other day. Shaking her head, Elizabeth got up and poured herself a cup of hot coffee and poured an unhealthy amount of creamer in it. She sat down again and responded to the email quickly while sipping her sickly sweet coffee.

When she finished, Elizabeth went into her bathroom and dried her hair, but decided to let it stay curly. She applied her usual makeup though, and walked into her closet. Elizabeth ended up choosing a pair of faded jeans and a plum colored cardigan, which she wore over a white camisole.

Again, she looked at the clock and it was just after eight. Deciding it was an appropriate time to be out on a Saturday, she grabbed her purse and car keys, making her way out the door. She climbed in her car and started the engine. Elizabeth drove through the streets of Gotham, trying to find a diner or an I-Hop. She was successful, as there was a diner around the corner and she pulled in to the lot.

Elizabeth went in and sat at the counter, waiting for someone to take her order. An older woman came to her, a kind smile on her face.

"What can I get you, dear?" she asked. Elizabeth smiled and was reminded of Anne.

"Can I get some scrambled eggs and toast, please?"

The waitress nodded and gave the ticket to the cook in the kitchen.

"Anything else?"

"A glass of orange juice?"

"Sure thing, sweetie," she said, going to fill up a glass. She returned a moment later with her orange juice. "Here you go," she said, setting down the glass. The woman looked at her with curiosity. "Have a rough night?" she asked. Elizabeth looked into her wise eyes and nodded. "What happened?" she asked, leaning against the counter. Elizabeth played with her fingers and answered.

"I had a really bad nightmare. I haven't had one this bad since I was a kid," Elizabeth replied. The old woman nodded.

"Well if you need anything, dear, please just let me know. I'm Dorothy," she said, placing a comforting hand on top of Elizabeth's.

"I'm Elizabeth."

"It's a pleasure, darling," she said and turned around to grab a plate of food, placing it before Elizabeth. "Here you go."

"Thank you," Elizabeth said, grabbing her fork and taking a bite. The eggs were delicious and they were gone quickly. Elizabeth finished her toast and orange juice by the time Dorothy came over again.

"Finished?"

"Yes," Elizabeth replied, dabbing her mouth with a napkin. She pulled out her wallet but was stopped when Dorothy put her hand over the wallet.

"No, no, this one's on me," she said.

"What? No, please, I've got this," Elizabeth said.

"Dear, trust me, it's fine. It's the least I could do for you after your night," Dorothy explained. Elizabeth felt her throat tighten uncomfortably.

"T-thank you," she said, choked up. Dorothy nodded and took Elizabeth's plate away. Elizabeth quickly pulled out a twenty and placed it under her orange juice glass. She left before Dorothy could come back and protest.

Taking a deep breath of the crisp air, Elizabeth strolled leisurely down the sidewalk, looking in the windows of the fancy boutiques and wishing she could afford to buy all of those pretty things.

She suddenly stopped at a window and her eyes grew wide. In the display was a gorgeous plum chiffon evening gown. It was strapless but had a decorative, bejeweled strap that started at the left shoulder and went down and curved underneath the right breast. The floor length chiffon had a slit on the right side, so the wearer could show a bit of leg. It was beautiful and amazing and stunning and just…Oh! Elizabeth went inside and asked the lady at the front desk about the dress.

"Oh, the new Patrice? It's fresh off the runway and is only five hundred dollars. That one is the only one we have in store and it is a size six," she finished, with a smack of her gum. Elizabeth felt the excitement within her grow; she was a size six! It was perfect!

"I'll take that dress, then," she said happily. The saleswoman looked at her doubtfully, as if Elizabeth would not be able to fit into the dress, but said nothing against it. She went and took the dress off the mannequin, leaving Elizabeth to ponder about the price. Sure, five hundred dollars was a lot for a dress, but it was her birthday and when else would she find another dress like that, in her size? The chances of it happening were slim.

The saleswoman returned with the dress and carefully placed it in a bag and tied off the end, so dirt or dust could not get inside. Elizabeth handed her card over and the woman ran it through, thankfully it was not declined.

"Here's your receipt. If you can sign this please," she said and handed Elizabeth a second receipt, which she quickly scribbled her signature on. Elizabeth put her wallet away and carefully took the dress from the counter. "Have a nice day," the saleswoman said, but didn't sound like she meant it. It didn't affect her mood though, as she exited the boutique and practically skipped back to her car. She put the dress inside and made sure she locked the car before she left.

The next stop was the pet store. Elizabeth wanted a small companion to keep her company on those long evenings and since her apartment building allowed the tenants to keep a small pet, it was perfect for her. Elizabeth was too focused on the pet store that she ran into someone.

"Oh, I am so sorry!" she cried, looking up at the person. He gave a good-natured laugh.

"It's okay," he said, his voice deep and smooth. It seemed familiar, but Elizabeth didn't know where she had heard it before. "I should have watched where I was going."

"I should have as well, I guess I'm just so concentrated I didn't see you. I'm so sorry," she said, looking up.

"Elizabeth?" he asked. She looked up in curiosity. How did this man know her name?

When she looked up, Elizabeth did not expect him to be so handsome. He was easily six feet tall, as he towered above Elizabeth's five foot five frame. He was very muscular and you could tell, even through the expensive, custom tailored suit he wore. His brown hair was parted over to the side and combed over. Beautiful hazel eyes twinkled down at her and Elizabeth was lost in them. His smile was perfect and his lips began forming words, but Elizabeth was so dazzled by him, that she just kept staring like an idiot. It wasn't until someone bumped into them, spilling their coffee all over Elizabeth that the trance broke.

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed, the hot coffee burning her skin. The man who had bumped into her had just kept walking and didn't even stop to apologize.

"Are you okay?" the mystery man asked, looking down at her with concern. The coffee had just cooled down then, but her skin was still burning.

"Uh, not really, no," she replied honestly. Her cardigan was ruined, the delicate fabric now soaked in a hazelnut latte.

"Let's duck inside here and you can put this on," he said, taking off his suit jacket and leading Elizabeth inside a jewelry store. The employees all stopped what they were doing and stared at the two of them in wonder. A leggy blond came up to them and turned to the mystery man.

"Hello," she said. "How can I help you, Mr. Wayne?" she asked seductively. Elizabeth felt like she had a dozen more hot coffees spilled on her. _Mr. Wayne? As in Bruce Wayne, owner of Wayne Enterprises, her place of current employment?_

"Yes," Bruce replied. "My friend here just had hot coffee spilled all over her and needs a place to change."

"Oh, you poor thing!" she cried out, putting on a fake expression of horror. Elizabeth looked in her eyes and saw jealousy burning within. "Let me take you to the restroom so you can get these clothes changed," she said. Bruce handed her his jacket and the blond led Elizabeth to the bathroom. "Here," she said flatly and turned on her heel, going back to Bruce as fast as she could. Elizabeth shook her head and entered the restroom.

She took off her ruined sweater and placed it in the trash then took off the camisole, rinsing off the coffee as best as she could. Taking it to the hand dryer, Elizabeth dried the tank top until it was dry and placed the warm piece of clothing back on her body. She looked at the expensive suit jacket, pondering if she should really wear it. After all it belonged to Bruce Wayne, her boss.

Sighing, she took the jacket and put it on. A masculine smell reached her senses and she smiled. The jacket smelled really good and it made Elizabeth visibly relax. She left the jacket unbuttoned and reveled in the feel of the expensive silk lining in the inside of the jacket. It was far too large for her, but in a way, it looked good on her slim frame. Giggling, Elizabeth went back out to the jewelry showroom floor where Bruce was waiting, looking at the necklaces on display.

He was in a tight white dress shirt and grey tie. The dress shirt emphasized his muscular shoulders and arms, making Elizabeth drool internally. _No, no, no! _Her conscience cried. _He is off limits!_ Elizabeth pouted as she approached Bruce. He turned to her and smiled.

"Ah, much better!" he said, placing his hand on the small of her back as he guided her out of the store. "So, what were you doing before you got rudely interrupted?"

"I was, uh, going to the pet store. I need a little friend to keep me company at my apartment. It's also my birthday, so I thought, why not?" she explained, about to enter the shop. Bruce stopped her.

"It's your birthday?" he asked excitedly. Elizabeth closed her eyes. She literally just walked into that one. "Happy birthday, Elizabeth!" he exclaimed, putting a hand on her shoulder. "How about we go look for a pet?" he said, leading her inside.

Elizabeth couldn't help but smile at his friendly attitude and followed him in. They walked past the fish, birds, and reptiles, stopping at the cats and dogs.

"So, what kind of pet are you looking for?" he asked.

"Something small. I can't have anything bigger than a housecat or small dog," she explained. Bruce nodded and turned to the approaching employee.

"How can I help you, Mr. Wayne?" he asked, clasping his hands together.

"We're looking for something small, something allowed in an apartment building," Bruce said. The man nodded.

"We have a wide range of selections here that are allowed in the apartments around the city. Dog or cat?" he asked. Elizabeth opened her mouth to speak but was halted by a shrill barking to her right. She looked down in the pen and found a dozen pups yelping at her. Smiling, she knelt down and laced her fingers through the metal bars of the pet-pen. All of the puppies rushed towards her, licking her fingers. There was a mixture of golden retrievers, bulldogs, and some mutts.

The one that stood out, however, was a small, black pug. It was the only one who was not licking her fingers, but sniffing at her camisole. It must have smelt the coffee. Elizabeth reached in and picked up the puppy carefully. It began licking her face, making Elizabeth laugh.

"Excellent choice, ma'am. We just got him a few weeks ago. He is fully house-trained and perfect for an apartment; when he is fully-grown, he won't get any bigger than a normal sized pillow," the employee explained. Elizabeth turned to Bruce and smiled, holding the adorable, little pup.

"It's perfect," she said, kissing his tiny head. The puppy barked excitedly and licked her face.

"We'll take it," Bruce said. The employee nodded and went to a register. "What are you going to name it?"

"I was thinking Hazelnut, because he was sniffing my shirt and that's the kind of coffee that was spilled on me," Elizabeth said, going over to look at dog beds. Bruce came up alongside her with a cart.

"That's a great name," he said. Elizabeth nodded and chose a small, blue bed, putting it in the cart. She browsed the dog food and chose a large bag along with some dishes and treats.

"What else do I need?" she asked. Bruce pointed to a machine at the end of the isle.

"A collar and leash," he said. The two went to the machine and started to pick out a dog tag. Elizabeth ended up choosing a silver bone shaped tag and engraved 'Hazelnut' and her phone number on it in case he got lost.

"Hmm, what color should his collar be?" Elizabeth pondered, looking down at Hazelnut. He barked cheerfully and turned his head to Bruce, who began scratching behind his ears.

"I think he would like the black one. Black is stylish," Bruce said, smiling slightly. Hazelnut licked Bruce's fingers and yipped happily.

"Black it is," Elizabeth said, choosing a black collar and attaching the new dog tag to it. They went to the register where the employee began ringing them up.

"I've got this," Bruce said, pulling out a black American Express card. Elizabeth shook her head fiercely.

"No! I can't let you pay for all of this!"

"It's your birthday and it's the least I could do after you got coffee spilled all over your sweater," Bruce said, handing the card to the cashier. Elizabeth opened her mouth to argue but was cut off. "You can buy me lunch. How's that?" he asked, as if it would settle the score. Elizabeth didn't feel much better, as lunch would not cost near as much as her pet supplies did. Scowling, Elizabeth nodded finally, making Bruce smile.

"Here you go, enjoy your day!" the employee said with a smile. Elizabeth thanked him and left the store with Bruce in tow, carrying the food and bed while Elizabeth carried the dishes and treats in bag. Hazelnut was wagging is tongue and looking all around him excitedly. The three of them walked the several blocks distance back to her car and put the supplies in her trunk. Bruce helped Elizabeth in the passenger side and went around to the driver side, where he started the car.

"Where are we going?" Elizabeth asked, as he started driving through Gotham.

"Lunch," was all he said and turned to Elizabeth with a smile.

"Well, I can't leave Hazelnut in the car while we eat," she said.

"That's fine. Where we're going, pets are allowed," he said, turning a corner smoothly. Elizabeth frowned at him.

"What restaurant allows dogs?" she asked.

"The one we're going to," he said cryptically. Elizabeth sighed, exasperated. This man was being quite difficult, but he was charming at the same time.

"_He's your boss!"_ her subconscious screamed. Elizabeth shook her head and tried to distract herself by playing with Hazelnut, who was currently sniffing everything in the car eagerly. His little tail was wagging, which shook his entire body. Elizabeth looked up and saw that Bruce had stopped driving. He turned the car off and got out, helping Elizabeth out.

Bruce had parked on the curb just outside a little café with an outdoor seating section. He placed his hand on the small of her back and led her to the maître d'.

"Two please," Bruce said. The maître d' nodded and led the duo to a table that was farther away from the other tables. Elizabeth sat down and glanced at her menu. The food was reasonably priced and would not be a problem when she had to pay. A waitress came by and took their orders and left Bruce and Elizabeth to talk.

"If you don't mind my asking, how old are you turning today?" he asked, folding his fingers together over the table and leaning forward.

"It's fine," said Elizabeth, stroking Hazelnut's head, "I'm twenty five today."

"Congratulations," Bruce said, raising his water glass up. Elizabeth returned the gesture and they took a sip of water. "So, how long have you been working as an administrative assistant?"

"Ever since I graduated high school. I didn't have the money to go to college, so I applied at Crowne Inc. as a secretary and I worked there for so long that I got promoted many times and eventually ended up as admin assistant," Elizabeth explained. "My old boss, Larry, said that I was really good at what I did and I liked where I worked. But, it lacked the challenge that I needed. I found that I would finish tasks very quickly and would sit around for hours, just twiddling my thumbs. That's why I applied at your company," she said. Bruce nodded in understanding.

"Well, I'm glad you did, Elizabeth," Bruce said, sending shivers up her spine. "And I'm glad that I had enough sense to hire you."

"You are the one who approved my application?" she asked, shocked. She thought it was Lucius who had done that.

"Yes, I did. I read through your résumé and was pleased with what I saw. After all, it is rare that someone with no college degree was working as an administrative assistant at a mega corporation."

"I guess I should thank you, then," Elizabeth said gratefully. Bruce shrugged.

"I felt you would be an asset to the company and I was right," he said, giving Elizabeth an electric smile. She returned his smile and moved so the waiter could put her plate down. The two ate in silence, enjoying their food. "Are you religious?" Bruce asked suddenly. Elizabeth looked at him, surprised at the question.

"No. Why?"

"The cross you're wearing. I saw it and just asked. I'm sorry if I'm approaching a touchy subject," he clarified. Elizabeth shook her head.

"No, no, it's fine," she said, tucking the diamond studded, gothic cross back in her shirt. "It belonged to my grandmother on my father's side. He gave it to me when I was little, before he died, and told me to take good care of it. I always wear it."

"I see. It's beautiful and must be very old," Bruce noted. Elizabeth nodded.

"It's been in his family since before the Civil War and passed down to each generation," she said, wiping her face with her napkin. The waiter came back with the check and took their plates away. Elizabeth grabbed it and without looking at the price, put her card inside the envelope. The waiter grabbed it and disappeared once more.

"Thank you for lunch, Elizabeth," Bruce said, as the waiter came back with her credit card. Elizabeth nodded, standing up and carefully adjusted the sleeping pup in her arms so as to not wake him up.

"It was my pleasure," she said, walking back to the car. Bruce helped her inside and came around to the driver's side. He drove back to her apartment and parked in the garage. "How did you know this was my apartment building?" she asked as he helped her out of the car.

"I make it my business to know these things," he murmured, taking the dog supplies out of her trunk. Elizabeth shook her head, amazed, and grabbed her new dress from the backseat. Bruce was stuck carrying all of the dog stuff while Elizabeth carried Hazelnut and the dress. The two of them rode in the elevator, up to the twentieth floor, in a comfortable silence. Elizabeth led Bruce to her apartment and unlocked the door. She gently laid Hazelnut down on the couch and turned to Bruce, who set the supplies on her kitchen counter. He turned to her and a devious smile formed on his face.

"Is that a new dress?" he asked, pointing to the dress in Elizabeth's arms.

"Yes," she said slowly, unsure as to where the conversation was going.

"What's the occasion?"

"There is none. It's my birthday; I saw it and decided to buy it because it was pretty. And who knows, I'll probably end up needing it for some social function," she said, going to her bedroom to hang it up. Bruce followed, chuckling.

"You couldn't be more right," he said, leaning against her closet door. "Listen, there's this charity fundraiser being held tonight and it would be my honor if I could escort you," he said. Elizabeth looked at him with slight irritation.

"I really can't. I've taken advantage of your hospitality all day, Bruce. Besides, you're my boss; it's unprofessional," she finished, crossing her arms.

"Oh, come on!" he cried, taking a step closer to her. Elizabeth soon became intoxicated by their closeness. Her heart rate sped up and she tried to look anywhere but his eyes. "It's your birthday and it would be a great opportunity for you to meet some of the board members," he said, trying to persuade Elizabeth. She exhaled, pursing her lips. She really wanted to say yes. Spending time with Bruce had gotten them closer than a boss and employee should be, but she liked him. He was nice, albeit pushy about buying her things, and he treated her the way a man should treat a woman.

Most of the men Elizabeth had dated were rude and childish. Bruce was mature and confident, but not cocky. It killed Elizabeth that he was her boss and on the 'off limits' list, but Bruce did bring up a valid point. It would be good for her to familiarize herself with the members of the executive board before the meeting on Tuesday. Ignoring her conscience screaming _'No!'_ Elizabeth gave Bruce a defeated smile.

"Okay, fine. I'll go. But I'm only going to meet the members of the board," she said, trying to set a standard for the evening. That would mean no displays of affection whatsoever and no going home with him.

"Excellent!" he said, clapping his hands together. "I'll pick you up at eight in the lobby."

"Great. I'll see you then," she said, seeing him out. Elizabeth closed the door and sighed, running her hands through her hair. _What have I just gotten myself into?_


	4. Chapter 4

Elizabeth took a deep breath and looked at the clock. _2:00_. She had six hours until Bruce would be picking her up for the fundraiser. Shaking her head, she unpacked all of the dog supplies and placed them where she wanted. The dog bed was in the living room, so Hazelnut could sleep there or in her bed, the dishes were at the end of the bar, so Elizabeth wouldn't run into them, and she hung the leash on one of the hooks by the door. She then filled the dishes with food and water for when Hazelnut woke up from his nap.

Looking at the clock again, Elizabeth saw that only fifteen minutes had passed. Growling slightly at how time wouldn't move any faster, she decided to go take a nap with Hazelnut. She set an alarm so it would wake her up at six in case she didn't wake up earlier. Snuggling up against Hazelnut, Elizabeth fell asleep quickly.

Elizabeth woke up to her phone ringing, but it wasn't her alarm. Grabbing her phone, she answered.

"Hello?" she asked groggily.

"Hey, Liz!" Tiffany chirped happily on the other line.

"What's up?" Elizabeth asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Are you doing anything tonight? I was wondering if we could have that girls night!"

"I would love to," Elizabeth started, "but I'm going out tonight. I'm sorry!"

"Oh, that's okay," Tiffany said, slightly put out.

"Actually, Tiffany, can you do me a huge favor?" asked Elizabeth.

"Sure. What do you need?"

"I just got a puppy today and I don't want to leave him home alone tonight, so I was wondering if you could come over around seven fifty and just watch him until I get back? You can stay the night if you'd like. I don't know how long I'll be out," Elizabeth said.

"Aww! Yes, I would be glad to watch him!" Tiffany exclaimed. "So, what's his name?"

"Hazelnut," Elizabeth replied.

"No, not your dog, silly. Who's the guy who's taking you out on a date?" Tiffany asked.

"Oh," Elizabeth whispered. She had been unprepared for the question. "It's not a date, but his name is…Wayne," Elizabeth said, after searching for a suitable name. She didn't want to tell Tiffany that she would be going to the fundraiser with Bruce, as it would just cause new rumors around work and that was the last thing that Elizabeth needed.

"Wayne? Ew, sounds like a total nerd," Tiffany replied, sounding disgusted. "Can I come over and help you get ready?" she asked, her attitude changing back to overly excited. Elizabeth sighed quietly and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Uh, yeah, I guess," she said. Tiffany squealed loudly and started giggling.

"Okay! I'll be right up! It's 207, right?"

"Yes."

"Awesome!" Tiffany hung up. Elizabeth fell back on her bed. Hazelnut, still asleep, snuggled up against her side. She looked down at the adorable puppy and smiled. She had made the right choice today in choosing him.

Not two minutes later, she heard a knock at the door. Elizabeth got up and padded into the entryway, letting Tiffany in. Her springy, blond curls were bouncing as she jumped into the apartment.

"Are you excited?" she cried out. "Where's Wayne taking you? The movies? Dinner? Stargazing? Ooh, that's so romantic!" she gushed.

"He's taking me to a fundraiser," Elizabeth corrected quietly. Tiffany turned to her.

"Oh! So he's got money? You lucky girl!" Tiffany said, slapping Elizabeth lightly on the shoulder. "Okay, let's go get you ready! We've only got two hours until he picks you up!" she said, dragging Elizabeth to her bedroom. "Now, show me what you're wearing so I know how to do your hair and makeup!" she ordered. Elizabeth pulled out her new dress and found a pair of bejeweled, silver sandals that would look good with the dress. "Oh, god! That's gorgeous!" Tiffany said, pouring over the dress. "Those heels will look great with the dress, nice thinking."

"Thanks," Elizabeth said, hanging the dress on her door and placing the shoes below it.

"Okay, first thing's first; go take a shower," Tiffany commanded, steering Elizabeth into her bathroom

"But I already bathed today," Elizabeth pointed out.

"Doesn't matter. Take a shower. I'll be here when you're done," Tiffany said, sitting on her bed, playing with Hazelnut, who was now awake.

"Okay," Elizabeth said, resigned. She took off Bruce's suit jacket and hung it carefully on the back of her bathroom door. Smiling, Elizabeth took off the rest of her clothes and stepped into the shower. She showered for as long as she could and only turned off the water when she heard Tiffany pounding on the door.

"Hurry up! We only have an hour and a half left!" she cried from the other side of the door. Elizabeth got out of the shower and wrapped her hair in a towel then put on a fluffy bathrobe. She left the bathroom and found Tiffany entering the bedroom with a barstool from the kitchen. She placed it in front of the mirror in the bathroom and patted the seat. "Here, sit," she said. Elizabeth sat down and let Tiffany work her magic.

For the next hour, Tiffany did Elizabeth's hair and makeup to perfection. Her hair was dried, curled, and then put into a loose updo. Tiffany let a few curls escape, framing Elizabeth's face. Elizabeth's makeup was expertly applied and it made her bright blue eyes pop. Tiffany used a silver eye shadow and lined her eyes with liquid liner. She also applied some false lashes to add more 'drama' as she called it. Tiffany painted Elizabeth's lips with a pale pink lipstick and had her blot it, so it would not come off as easily.

"There! Your hair and makeup is perfect! Now I need to do your nails real quick. Where's your polish?"

"It's in the linen closet," Elizabeth said, pointing to the closet behind her. Tiffany picked out metallic silver and painted Elizabeth's fingers with it then chose a deep plum that matched the dress for her toes. After the nails dried, Tiffany applied a topcoat and while they were drying, she went into Elizabeth's closet and chose a nude strapless bra and matching underwear. She laid them out on the bathroom counter for Elizabeth to change into. Then she disappeared again and came back with a diamond bracelet, a gift from Anne a few years back, and a pair of diamond studs.

"Okay, in a few minutes, your nails will be dry and then you can put these on," Tiffany instructed. Elizabeth nodded and watched Tiffany go back into her bedroom, soon coming back with a black clutch. "I took the liberty of putting your cell phone, ID, and credit card in here for you."

"Thanks, Tiff," Elizabeth said. Tiffany looked at her with surprise, nearly dropping the clutch.

"No one's called me 'Tiff' in ages," she stated.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you, I just-" Elizabeth said, trying to apologize. A small smile broke out on Tiffany's face.

"It's fine, Liz, I like it. No one's called me Tiff since my grandpa passed a few years ago."

"I'm sorry," Elizabeth said, putting her hand on Tiffany's.

"It's okay. He told me that he was going to heaven to go chase grandma again," she said, laughing. Elizabeth grinned and got up, going to change into the undergarments Tiffany laid out for her. Tiffany left, closing the bathroom door as she did so. Elizabeth dressed quickly and stepped into the silver sandal-heels, boosting her height from five foot five, to five foot eight. Tiffany knocked on the door.

"Are you dressed? You need to put this dress on! It's almost eight," she said, opening the door. She was holding the dress in her arms delicately. Elizabeth took the dress and unzipped it, stepping into it. Tiffany helped her put the strap on and zip it up. The dress was snug, but it fit well. "Oh, Liz! You look amazing!" Tiffany squealed, jumping up and down, her curls bouncing. Elizabeth laughed and turned to look in the full body mirror.

The girl in the mirror was very beautiful. Her chocolate brown hair was pulled back, out of her face, and a few curls were left dangling. Her cheeks were flushed pink and her bright blue eyes popped against the silver eye shadow. The purple color of the dress complimented her slight tan and emphasized the natural curves of her body.

"Oh, Tiffany, thank you!" Elizabeth said, giving Tiffany a hug. She giggled and returned the hug, being careful not to ruin Elizabeth's hair or makeup.

"I almost forgot!" she suddenly said, breaking the hug and disappearing from view. She returned with a bottle of Elizabeth's perfume. Tiffany sprayed it in front of Elizabeth, who walked through it. "Ah, perfect!"

Elizabeth heard her phone ringing from the clutch and answered it.

"Hello?"

"I'm down in the lobby," Bruce's deep voice said. Elizabeth grinned as she butterflies began to flit inside her.

"Okay, I'll be down in a few minutes," she said, hanging up. Tiffany looked at her with pride and walked her to the door.

"Now, stay out as late as you wish, hell, go back to his place if you can!" she cried, opening the door. Hazelnut trotted to Elizabeth, who bent down.

"I'll be back boy, I promise. Be good for Tiffany, okay, puppy?" she asked. Hazelnut licked her fingers in response.

"He'll be fine, I promise," Tiffany vowed. "Now go!" she said, ushering Elizabeth out the door. Elizabeth walked quickly over to the elevator and rode it down to the lobby, the anticipation growing as she went down each level. The elevator 'binged' and the doors opened. She stepped out into the lobby and looked around for Bruce. He was standing by the door, dressed in a snazzy bowtie tuxedo. He looked absolutely amazing. Elizabeth timidly approached him, stopping when he turned to look at her. His jaw dropped slightly and his eyes grew wide.

"Wow, Elizabeth, you look incredible!" he said, smiling. Elizabeth felt her cheeks grow hot and the feeling of the butterflies intensified.

"Thank you," she said quietly. Bruce pulled out a phone sized, black velvet box and handed it to her.

"These are for you," he said. Elizabeth looked up at him and started to protest, but he cut her off. "Now, you are going to take these and not complain. I promise I didn't spend any money on these."

"Did you steal them?" she asked, opening the box. She gasped and placed her hand over her heart. Inside were the most beautiful earrings she had ever seen. They were a pair of vintage, diamond teardrop earrings. The diamonds were sparkling up at Elizabeth, who looked up at Bruce.

"Oh, Bruce, you shouldn't have," she whispered, looking back at the earrings. They were gorgeous! But, she couldn't accept them. "I can't accept these."

"You can and you will," Bruce said. He looked down at Elizabeth and she saw that she would end up losing the argument anyway. Pursing her lips, she began taking out her earrings and putting on the new ones. They were heavy but once she saw her reflection in the window, she stopped. The earrings dangled from her earlobes and were dazzling. They were truly beautiful.

"Thank you, Bruce," she said earnestly.

"You're welcome. They were my mother's. They look beautiful on you," he said and Elizabeth smiled up at him. Bruce then placed an arm around her waist and led her from the lobby, out to his car. He stopped in front of a dark grey Lamborghini and opened the butterfly door for her. Feeling giddy, she sat down on the buttery-smooth, black leather seats. She buckled her seatbelt as Bruce got in the car beside her.

"Any special music requests, birthday girl?" Bruce asked. Elizabeth chuckled.

"No. But I am curious," she said, "what does billionaire playboy, Bruce Wayne listen to?"

"Well, he listens to just about everything but rather enjoys a good classic."

"How classic? Like, rock classic? Or Bach classic?" she asked. Bruce laughed heartily and turned on the stereo. The soothing notes of 'Moonlight Sonata' filled the car. Elizabeth turned to Bruce, surprised.

"You listen to Beethoven? I thought I was the only one?"

"You'd be surprised what I listen to," Bruce said cheekily. Elizabeth smiled and looked out the window, watching the lights blur as Bruce sped down the streets. He stopped a few minutes later and got out, just as the song ended. He opened the door for Elizabeth and helped her out. Bruce handed the valet the keys to his car and a tip. Elizabeth took Bruce's arm and they walked into the ritzy hotel together. They were guided into the large ballroom, which was filled with men in suits and women in evening gowns.

"Oh goodness," Elizabeth said, noting the amount of people that were at this fundraiser. Bruce led them to a table that was at the front of the room, right by the head table. He helped her sit in a chair and sat in the one to her left. Their table was elegantly set with fine china and expensive looking flowers, lilies to be exact. A few people sat at their table, conversing with one another quietly, sipping champagne.

"Ah, Bruce!" an older man said happily, going in for a hug. Bruce returned the hug, giving the man a smile.

"How are you? You seem to have gotten older and fatter. How's Eleanor?" Bruce said, slapping the man on the shoulder lightly. The man laughed cheerfully, his corpulent belly shaking.

"Fine, fine. Ellie's over there, actually," he said, pointing to an elder woman chatting with some other women. "We just got back from Bermuda," he said. "Ellie wanted to go for the beach, I wanted to go for the liquor!" he finished, chuckling. Bruce gave a well natured laugh and turned to Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth," he said, "this was one of my father's co-workers at the hospital, Richard Connell and his wife Eleanor," Bruce introduced, as Eleanor came over to them. She was older, with her gray hair swept into an elegant updo, but still beautiful.

"It's a pleasure," Elizabeth said, having her hand shaken by Richard. Eleanor stood by her husband, shaking Elizabeth's hand as well.

"My dear, you look stunning," Eleanor said, praising her dress.

"Doesn't she?" Bruce said, with a slight tone of pride in his voice. Elizabeth felt her cheeks redden and looked anywhere but Bruce. He was her boss! He shouldn't be complementing her like that. _But, it was rather nice_, Elizabeth argued internally. "It also happens to be her birthday," he added, looking down at Elizabeth. He winked and gave her a small smirk.

"Oh, my goodness!" Eleanor exclaimed happily. She smiled at Elizabeth. "How old are you today?"

"Twenty five," Elizabeth replied shyly.

"That's just a few years younger than Bruce, here," Richard said, giving Elizabeth a wink. "When shall the engagement announcements be sent out?" he asked. Elizabeth felt the color drain from her face. Eleanor patted Elizabeth's shoulder comfortingly.

"Don't mind him, dear," she said. "He's had a little too much to drink this evening." Elizabeth nodded shakily and looked anywhere but Richard. The thought of marriage scared her enough, but the thought of marrying her boss scared her even more. Bruce laughed and sat Elizabeth down in her chair.

"Sorry," he said quietly with an apologetic grin on his face. "Once he gets his large glass of brandy, there's no telling what he'll say." Elizabeth nodded understandingly.

"It's okay, I just wasn't prepared for that. I'm not really into relationships at the moment," she said. Bruce nodded.

"In this day and age, it is more difficult to maintain a relationship like that. It takes work, but I've heard it's worth it," he said, looking at Elizabeth. She felt his eyes staring into her soul and couldn't handle the intensity, so she looked away, sipping at her champagne. A waiter came by and took their orders alleviating some of the awkwardness between them.

"Bruce, how are you, young man?" an older man asked. Four older men in expensive suits surrounded him. Bruce politely smiled and shook each of their hands.

"Just fine, Ken," he said in return. "Elizabeth, this is Ken Bradford, Clark Ray, John Matthews, Donovan Sims, and Steven Billson, members of the board," he said. Elizabeth stood up and smiled professionally, shaking their hands. "This is Elizabeth Martin, Wayne Enterprises' new administrative assistant."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, young lady," Donovan said with a pleasant smile on his face.

"Likewise, sir," she replied.

"Please, call me Don."

"Elizabeth, how are you liking your new position?" Clark asked.

"It's a big step from the one I occupied at Crowne Inc., but I like the challenge. It's refreshing."

"Impressive," Ken said, appraising Elizabeth. "Lucius has been bragging about the fact that you are the best at what you do and you have no college degree." The other board members nodded.

"It took a lot of hard work but I persevered and now I'm here," Elizabeth said. "I did not have the money to go to college for further education, however that did not stop me from accomplishing my goals."

"I like her," John noted with a grin on his face. Steven and the others nodded vehemently.

"Excuse me, ladies and gentleman," a cool female voice said. Elizabeth turned to the stage where a woman stood at a podium. "I would like to begin the fundraiser by saying thank you to all who put in bids for the photographs in the back, they will draw winners shortly. At the Gotham Aviary, we appreciate your donations that aid the helpless birds that come to us for shelter," she said. "Now I would like to introduce our number one sponsor and co-owner, Oswald Cobblepot."

Elizabeth felt a cold chill go down her spine as she watched Oswald hobble across the stage. He changed into a different bow-tie suit but wore his signature monocle and a black top hat. His smile, marred by the scar, looked sinister as he began talking.

"My family was cruel and unusual, as you all know," he said, gesturing to his scar. "But they left me the manor that has been in my family for centuries. After my travels in the Orient, I came back to Gotham eager to change the barbaric and medieval place I once called home into a sanctuary for my avian friends. With the help of many of Gotham's finest, including you lovely people, the Gotham Aviary was built.

"I am pleased to say that we are currently housing over five-thousand birds with many more coming in every day. The top veterinarians in the country are caring for those that are injured and unable to fly so that they may fly back to their homes. For fifteen years, the Gotham Aviary has helped hundreds of different species fly back to their homes or spend the rest of their days in comfort. Thank you," he finished, smiling crookedly.

Elizabeth grimaced and stepped closer to Bruce, as if he could protect her. The small orchestra began playing a cheerful tune as the waiters came out with everyone's food. Elizabeth and Bruce sat down to eat with everyone at their table. Elizabeth was introduced to two models, a socialite, and three more members of the board whilst eating. She ate quietly, keeping an eye out for Oswald, feeling quite paranoid. Halfway into the dessert, Elizabeth excused herself to the restroom.

Elizabeth quickly made her way into the lavish bathroom complete with an attendant. After relieving her bladder, Elizabeth washed her hands and went to leave the bathroom, but the attendant blocked her way.

"Mr. Cobblepot wishes to speak to you," she said, her thick Russian accent almost garbling her words. Elizabeth froze and began to shake. _Oh god. I've only been here a week and I'm about to be murdered by a mobster._

"Uh, I'm afraid I have to get back to my date," Elizabeth replied shakily. "I've been gone a while and he'll wonder where I am," she explained, trying to sound normal, but, of course, failing to do so.

"I'm afraid Mr. Wayne will have to wait," she said, grabbing hold of Elizabeth's arm and dragging her the other entrance to the bathroom. She was roughly shoved into the arms of a big man with surly features. He towered over her and was easily three times thicker than Elizabeth's frame.

"Come on, sweetheart," he said gruffly, squeezing her upper arm. _That's going to bruise_. The man dragged her through the hotel and into a large suite. Oswald stood by the open French doors to the balcony. He turned and with a grisly smile, greeted Elizabeth jovially.

"Ah, Miss Martin!" he exclaimed. "Or may I call you Elizabeth? Any who, come in, come in!" he gestured. The goon that had his hand around Elizabeth's arm moved forward onto the balcony. The air was chilled and sinister; the stars were black and cold. Elizabeth felt all of the warmth leave her body. Oswald walked over to Elizabeth, whose back was to the railing of the balcony, and looked up at her with a grin. "How are you enjoying the fundraiser? Is the food okay? I've always been a little concerned with these caterers. They are foreign, after all," he added in an undertone. "How's work? I trust Wayne Enterprises is treating you well?"

"H-how did you know I work there?" Elizabeth asked, wrapping her arms around her shoulders.

"I know everything about you, Lizzy," he said. Elizabeth flinched and tried to look everywhere but his face. "I know all about your work at Crowne Inc., I know the grades you received in the third grade, and of course, my favorite, all about your crack-whore mother." Elizabeth closed her eyes and felt the fear begin to consume her. "Now, I know you saw my little exchange last night," he began, pacing in front of her. "And I want to make sure that you aren't going to be going to the authorities. It's bad for business, you know," he added. "Do you promise me? Pinky promise?" Elizabeth nodded quickly. "Ah, good girl! Leo, show her what'll happen if she tattles."

The goon that dragged her in the room stepped forward and grabbed Elizabeth. He began to lower her backwards over the edge of the balcony. Blood curdling screams ripped from Elizabeth's throat in fear of falling.

"No! Please! I promise I won't tell! I swear! Oh, god, please!" she screamed. Tears began to fall as Leo lowered her more over the edge. _This is it. This is how I'm going to die. _After a few more seconds of her terrified screaming, Elizabeth heard someone snap their fingers and she was pulled back over the edge.

"There we go, darling!" Oswald chirped. Elizabeth sank to the floor and tried to regulate her breathing, but was finding it exceedingly difficult. Her shallow gasping and sobs were the only sounds she made. "That was just to make sure you don't tell. I know you won't. You seem like a really good secret keeper. I trust you," he said, as if he was talking about the weather. "Leo, keep her quiet. I must return to my host duties. Ta-ta, Lizzy," Oswald said, leaving the room.

Elizabeth heard the door close with a snap and tried to stand up, but was shoved against the railing. The cement surface popped her back painfully and she fell forward again. Leo grabbed her and held her up only to begin delivering punches. The first one landed somewhere in her abdomen and the second followed it. Leo let go of Elizabeth and let her fall to the floor. Groaning in pain, she looked up at Leo who backhanded her, his ring scratching her face. She felt her skin tear and the blood oozing down her face.

"Heh-heh, lights out, sweetheart," he chuckled darkly and started to move his fist forward. Elizabeth closed her eyes and waited for the blow to hit, but it never came. She opened an eye and found a black mass swirling in front of her. Trying to clear up her vision, Elizabeth blinked several times and the black mass disappeared. Confused, she staggered over to the other edge of the balcony, looking over and saw nothing. Shaking her head, she turned around and let out a screech.

A man, dressed in black with a strange headpiece, towered over her. He wore expensive looking battle armor with a bat symbol on his chest. He was quite muscular and fit; Elizabeth could see his muscles outlined in his armor. She looked up into his blackened eyes and found concern written in them.

"Are you all right?" he asked. His voice was deep and scratchy, but calming at the same time. Elizabeth shook her head.

"No," she whimpered, unable to keep the tears at bay. They rolled down her cheeks, destroying the carefully applied makeup. "I-I saw something I shouldn't have and, and he threatened me to make sure I wouldn't tell," she sobbed loudly. The mysterious man in front of her nodded.

"Who? Who threatened you?"

"Oswald C-Cobblepot. I saw him dealing drugs last night outside the Iceberg Lounge and he saw me. Then he had someone bring me to him just now and I thought I was going to die!" she cried. Elizabeth's sobs were uncontrollable; her shoulders shook and she was gasping for breath.

"Hey, it's okay now. He's not going to hurt you. You're safe," the man said, holding down her shoulders. Elizabeth took deep breaths to calm down and after a few minutes, her breathing was somewhat normal. She looked into the man's eyes and found them familiar, but couldn't place where she had seen them before.

"Who are you?" she asked finally.

"I'm Batman," he said, his voice gruff. Elizabeth had heard rumors in Metropolis of a caped man flying through Gotham, fighting crime, but she discarded them, believing them to be false. "Come on, let's get you somewhere safer," he said. Batman wrapped his arms around her waist and moved to the edge of the balcony. "Hold tight." Elizabeth wrapped her arms and legs around his torso for dear life, closing her eyes. Batman shot something and jumped off the ledge. It felt like they were falling and she began to grow scared, but stopped when it felt like they were going up. Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked around her and saw they were being pulled up by a grappling hook and rope.

She continued to watch as Batman flew her around the city of Gotham. Elizabeth was so lost in the view that she didn't hear him talking to her.

"What?" she asked loudly, over the wind.

"I'm taking you to Bruce Wayne's apartment. You'll be safe there," he replied. Elizabeth nodded and returned to watching as Batman gently landed on another balcony. She let go of him and looked into his eyes again. They looked green, but had flecks of brown in them.

"Thank you," Elizabeth said quietly. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Batman's cheek in appreciation. "I would have a really big head ache right now if you hadn't gotten there when you did."

"I just wish I had gotten to you sooner, but I didn't get the call until much later."

"The call? Who called you?"

"Bruce Wayne."

"You know Bruce?" Elizabeth asked, astonished.

"He's a friend. He tips me off about any problems around the city or about anything that just doesn't seem right."

"How did you know where to find me?"

"A man does have his secrets," he replied cryptically. Elizabeth grinned.

"Ah, Miss Martin!" a voice called out. Elizabeth turned and found an elder man in a tie and vest approaching her with a blanket. "I'm glad you could make it," he said, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders. "I'm Alfred Pennyworth, Master Wayne's butler. He'll be with you shortly." Elizabeth turned to say goodbye to her savoir but he disappeared once more.

Alfred led Elizabeth inside the penthouse and sat her down on a luxurious leather couch. He disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a small white box.

"Let's get that scratch taken care of, shall we?" He began to wipe the blood off her cheek and put some ointment on it before placing two small strips of medical tape to close the cut.

"Thanks," Elizabeth murmured.

"Of course. How about a nice cup of cocoa?" he asked. Elizabeth nodded and took off her shoes, placing them by her feet. Going to the mirror across the room, Elizabeth cleaned her face as best as she could and once satisfied, sat down. Alfred came back in with a large brown mug, which he handed to Elizabeth. She took it gratefully and took a small sip.

"This is really good," she croaked, drinking more.

"I'm glad you like it. It's a secret family recipe," he said.

"I'm pretty sure the secret is whiskey," a voice said. Elizabeth turned and found Bruce walking in from the elevator, his suit jacket folded over his arm and his bowtie undone. "It calms the nerves." Elizabeth smiled and took another sip, noticing the slight bite of the alcohol. Bruce sat down next to Elizabeth. "Are you okay?"

"I will be; after a large amount of hard liquor and some sleep. Come Monday, I'll be just peachy," she said sarcastically. Bruce grinned at her cynical behavior. "So, I met your friend. The Batman."

"And? Was he a gentleman?" Bruce asked, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"Yes. I like him. We should invite him to lunch. But he did seem a little…" she trailed off, tipsy from the hot chocolate.

"Batty?" Alfred quipped. Elizabeth burst into giggles and almost spilled her drink.

"How clever, Alfred," Bruce said flatly. Alfred chuckled.

"I apologize, Master Wayne, I could not resist."

"Alfred's funny," Elizabeth whispered to Bruce.

"Thank you, Miss," Alfred replied, taking her empty mug.

"Here, why don't we get you changed and into bed. You're going to appreciate the sleep in the morning," Bruce said, helping Elizabeth up. The alcohol was taking its toll on her, as she could not stand without assistance, so Bruce had to help her up the stairs and into the guest room. Elizabeth tried to reach for her zipper and soon got irritated when she couldn't reach it. "Allow me," Bruce said, unzipping her dress smoothly. Elizabeth let the dress drop to the floor and stepped out of it. Bruce handed her one of his shirts and a pair of running shorts. Elizabeth slipped on the shirt and put on the large shorts. She had to roll them up a few times before they fit her.

"Mmthanks," she slurred, falling on the bed unceremoniously. The last thing she saw was Bruce pulling the comforter over her body and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

**So, I hope you guys like the story so far! I'm trying my hardest to make Elizabeth not one of those boring, Marysue OCs. I'm trying to make her original, fun, and badass, but still falling for Bruce's charms. It's difficult, but I think I'm doing an okay job. How'd you like Oswald? He's one of my favorite villains, besides the Joker, and I'm really glad I chose him for this story! I've been doing a lot of extra research for this fic and I have very detailed notes on each character and location. I'm trying to be as realistic as possible with the details, even going as far as incorporating actual locations in Gotham to make this story come alive.**

**Please review and let me know what you think! I love writing this story and I'm excited about where it's going!**

**CraftyK13**


	5. Chapter 5

_"Leo," a male voice said. "Show Lizzy what will happen if she tattles!" A man that looked disturbingly like a penguin walked away, cackling madly. A dark figure crept towards Elizabeth with a sinister grin on his face. He grabbed her roughly and pushed her backwards over the edge of the balcony. Elizabeth screamed in terror as she fell off, hurtling towards the Earth. Her screams echoed throughout the air, coming back distorted. The ground kept growing closer and closer until Elizabeth hit the pavement with a sickening crunch. _

Elizabeth sat up screaming, her hands covering her face. A light flicked on and she felt weight on the bed next to her. Strong hands grabbed her, causing her to scream louder.

"Elizabeth! It's okay, it's okay, shh," Bruce said, pulling her onto his lap. She looked up at him, sweat rolling down her neck, and tried to keep it together, but the sobs broke free. Bruce hugged Elizabeth to his bare chest, rubbing his hand across her back soothingly. "You're safe. Nothing's going to get you here. It's okay," he whispered. Elizabeth held on to Bruce tightly, sobbing against his chest, hot tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Master Wayne, I heard screaming and I-," Alfred said breathlessly, bursting in the room.

"It's okay, Alfred. She had a nightmare," Bruce explained quietly. Elizabeth turned to Alfred, wiping her cheeks.

"I'm sorry Alfred," she said, hiccupping.

"It's quite all right, Miss. It's normal to happen after what you've been through. Just try to go back to sleep and you'll feel all better in the morning. Rest assured, Master Wayne has the best security in all of Gotham City," he said, patting her shoulder. Elizabeth nodded, watching Alfred leave the room. She turned to Bruce, who was watching her intently.

"Sorry I woke you up," she said quietly. Bruce shook his head.

"I'm just glad you're okay. Alfred's right; it is normal to have a nightmare after having a traumatic experience. Hell, I'd be worried if you weren't having nightmares."

"Yeah. Well, I'm also sorry for crying all over you. Your shoulder has makeup on it," she said, pointing. Bruce's shoulder was smeared with black and silver. Elizabeth was sure her face looked worse. "I'm going to wash my face and go back to bed."

"Do you need anything?" Bruce asked.

"A glass of water?"

"Of course. I'll be right back." Elizabeth went into the joined bathroom and found a washcloth on the counter then cleaned all the makeup off of her face. Next, she took out all the pins in her hair and shook it out. Elizabeth ended up looking like a lion, but she didn't care. Turning off the light, she went back into the bedroom and glanced at the clock. A quarter after two. _Great._ Elizabeth rolled her eyes and got back into bed. Bruce came in with a glass of water and handed it to her.

Elizabeth chugged the water and put it on the table next to the bed.

"How do you feel?" Bruce asked, getting into bed.

"Fine. Uh, what are you doing?"

"Making sure you don't have any more nightmares," he said simply. Elizabeth cocked an eyebrow.

"Okay," she said, dragging the word out. The fact that a man was sleeping in the same bed as her wasn't what weirded her out; it was the fact that that man just happened to be Bruce Wayne. **Her boss.**Elizabeth turned her back to him and got as close to the edge of the bed as she could. She closed her eyes and was just about to drift off until Bruce spoke quietly.

"I'm sorry your birthday was ruined." Elizabeth shrugged.

"It's fine. I'll have another one next year to make up for it."

"No. It's not fine. I'll make it up to you." Elizabeth rolled over and pursed her lips.

"Please, Bruce. You don't have to. None of this was your fault, so you don't need to do anything. I had fun earlier. It was nice getting to know you better. My birthday was really nice."

"No it wasn't and don't lie. I'm going to make it up to you and that's final," he said, setting his jaw. Elizabeth rolled over and crossed her arms.

"Only if it makes you feel any better," she mumbled.

"It will," he replied happily. Elizabeth shook her head and closed her eyes, falling back to sleep.

She woke up feeling too hot. Elizabeth cracked an eye open and looked at the clock. Just after eleven. Stretching, Elizabeth felt her shirt ride up and hands replace the shirt on her waist. Freezing, she carefully looked behind her and saw Bruce's sleeping face. _God he's even attractive while sleeping. Damn him._ Cautiously, she moved his hands off her body and stood quickly. Bruce mumbled something incoherently and rolled on his back. His muscles rippled with each breath he took and Elizabeth found herself staring until she heard a shrill ringing coming from the chair in the corner of the room.

Her clutch sat on the nicely upholstered chair and she dug out her Blackberry. It was Tiffany. Elizabeth bolted into the bathroom and closed the door quietly, answering the phone.

"Hello?" she whispered.

"Hey, Liz! How was last night? Did Wayne treat you right? I know you went back to his place, so how was the sex? I'm sure it was great! Why are you whispering?" Tiffany chirped over the phone.

"He's sleeping. But, it was…interesting," Elizabeth responded, choosing her words carefully.

"The sex was interesting? How so? And give me all the dirty details!"

"No, no. I meant the fundraiser. I didn't sleep with him. Well, not in that sense."

"What do you mean?"

"We slept together, but we didn't sleep together in the way you're thinking."

"Oh, pooh," Tiffany said sounding put out.

"Yeah, I think we're going to be just friends from now on. I can't see myself getting involved with him." _No kidding, he's your boss._

"That's a shame. Well, last night went great! Your puppy is so adorable! He didn't pee in the house and he slept like a baby!"

"That's good. I'm on my way home soon, so you can help yourself to the food that I have then you can go home," Elizabeth said quietly.

"Okie dokie sounds good!" Tiffany said. Elizabeth said 'bye' and hung up. She opened the bathroom door and found Bruce snoring. Grinning, Elizabeth gathered all her things and noticed her dress was gone. Curious, she made her way back into the kitchen where Alfred was cooking eggs.

"Ah, good morning, Miss Martin. How are you today?" he asked, plating her some toast and eggs.

"Much better, thank you," she said, taking a bite of the eggs. "Could you get me a number for a cab? I should head home."

"No need, miss, I'll drive you."

"That's okay. I can just take a cab. It's fine."

"I shall hear no more about this cab business, miss. I'll drive you home. Don't worry about Master Wayne. He won't be up for at least a few more hours."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Okay," she said, taking another bite. "Have you seen my dress?"

"I hung it up in the hall closet. I'll be sure to grab it before we leave." Elizabeth nodded and finished her food. Alfred took her plate and put it in the dishwasher. "Ready?"

"Yes." Elizabeth grabbed her clutch and shoes, not bothering to put them on. Alfred grabbed her dress from the hall closet and joined her in the elevator. The two of them rode it all the way down into the garage. Alfred led her to a sleek, black Rolls Royce and he helped her in, hanging up her dress. Alfred started the car and drove out of the garage.

"Where to?"

"The apartment complex across from Grant Park."

"Ah, that's not far from here," he noted, driving in and out of traffic. The trip lasted five minutes before Alfred pulled in front of her apartment building.

"Thanks, Alfred," Elizabeth said.

"Of course."

"And please tell Bruce the same. It was really kind of you two to take me in last night."

"It was no trouble at all, miss. I am just glad you're safe." Alfred got out and helped Elizabeth out, handing the dress to her. She hugged him briefly and looked at his aging face.

"Again, thank you."

"My pleasure. I hope to see you again real soon." He got back in the car and drove back to the penthouse. Elizabeth went up to the door where Theodore stood.

"Rough night?" he asked knowingly.

"You have no idea," Elizabeth replied, nodding as she went inside. The elevator ride was quick, as her thoughts were elsewhere, namely Bruce, and jumped when it 'dinged' at her. She shook her head at her jumpiness and opened the door to her apartment. Hazelnut came bounding to the door, sliding on the hardwood floor and hitting the wall with a 'thud'. Elizabeth giggled and picked up the clumsy puppy, which licked all over her face.

"Hello, my dear how are you," Tiffany started saying, but stopped abruptly. "What happened to your face?" she cried, horrified.

"Oh, it's nothing. Wayne has a cat and it scratched me pretty bad. It's fine though. Nothing to worry about." Tiffany nodded and was about to speak again when she stopped. Her eyes grew round and her mouth opened in awe.

"Look. At. Those. Earrings!" she squealed, inspecting them closer. "Oh my god! These are gorgeous! Where did you get them, 'cause I did not send you off in these!"

"Wayne gave them to me as a birthday present. Well, he made me accept them. That man is quite stubborn."

"He's a good match for you," Tiffany mumbled, still looking at the earrings. Elizabeth swatted her away and set Hazelnut down.

"Vulture," she said. Tiffany gave her an impish grin and left. Hazelnut scampered around happily, tripping on his own feet. "You are seriously the cutest thing I've ever seen!" Elizabeth said, looking down at the pup. He yipped happily and ran into her bedroom. Smiling, Elizabeth followed and proceeded to play with him for the rest of the afternoon, taking a quick break for a snack. Yawning, Hazelnut found a spot on Elizabeth's bed and fell asleep. Elizabeth went to take a shower and took off Bruce's borrowed clothes. She placed them on the hook next to his blazer.

_His things are just piling up and I've only known the man for two days!_ Shaking her head, Elizabeth turned her attention toward the mirror. Above her hips, two large, gross-looking bruises flowered her skin. They were almost black in color and hurt when she poked them. Elizabeth's belly button ring glinted from her now dark skin. Frowning, she started the shower and scrubbed herself raw.

Emerging from the steamy bathroom in a towel, Elizabeth dressed in some shorts and a tank top, towel drying her hair back to the bathroom where she hung the towel up. Making her way to the kitchen, she cooked up some spaghetti and poured a glass of wine. She ate quickly and did the dishes before she brushed her teeth. Crawling into bed with Hazelnut, Elizabeth fell asleep quickly.

Gasping, Elizabeth woke up sweating from her nightmare. _At least you didn't wake up screaming_. The nightmare was the same as Saturday's; Oswald jeering at her before Leo threw her off the balcony to her death. Shivering, Elizabeth got out of bed and began getting ready for work. The scratch on her face was healing nicely, so she took off the pieces of medical tape and dabbed a bit of makeup on it. The wound had nearly disappeared. Pleased, Elizabeth put her hair up in a sleek ponytail and did her makeup as usual.

Picking a slate grey dress, black cardigan, red belt, and black pumps, Elizabeth dressed in record time, grabbing a smoothie from the fridge along with her purse and Blackberry. She made sure Hazelnut had enough food and water before walking out the door.

Elizabeth pulled into the Wayne Enterprises garage and scanned her badge to get into the elevator. Going all the way to the top floor, she greeted Tiffany and got to work.

Around noon, Elizabeth went into the break room to eat lunch and returned to her desk to find a large vase of lilies. Twenty-five to be exact. She read the card attached to the flowers.

_This is me making up for your birthday._

_I saw you glancing at the centerpiece at the fundraiser a lot and thought you'd like these._

_Hope you have a nice day._

_Bruce_

Elizabeth's heart melted and she grinned gleefully, putting the card in her purse. Tiffany bounded over excitedly.

"Who are those from?"

"Wayne. He said he had a nice time Saturday and was sorry that his cat…Leo scratched me."

"Oh! How romantic! He's totally into you!" she cried, returning back to her desk to answer the phone. Elizabeth sighed sadly, returning to an email she had started earlier. _If only he wasn't your boss_. She cursed her conscience and continued working.

Every day of the week, Bruce had something delivered to her desk just after lunch with a note. On Tuesday, it was twenty-five chocolates. Wednesday, twenty-five servings of Alfred's secret recipe hot chocolate, including the preferred whisky. Thursday it was twenty-five movie tickets to any movie of her choosing. On Friday, a small rectangular black velvet box sat on her desk with a purple bow on top. There was no card, so Elizabeth opened it suspiciously. What she saw inside made her gasp.

A platinum charm bracelet was nestled inside with five charms attached. There was a small black dog with a diamond-studded collar, a cup of coffee, a lily, a sapphire heart, and a diamond encrusted '25' with the words 'Happy Birthday' engraved on the back in elegant script. _Damn him. _

Elizabeth could not accept this. It was way too much. She couldn't do it, so she put the bracelet back in the box and put it in the drawer of her desk. Not five minutes later, she opened the drawer back up and looked at the bracelet. Realizing what she had just done, Elizabeth scoffed and put the bracelet away again. But then she took it out, finally giving up, and clasped it around her left wrist. The charms on the bracelet jingled lightly, making Elizabeth smile.

Just then, her phone rang, it's shrill ring breaking the silence in the lobby.

"Wayne Enterprises," she said professionally.

"Did you like my gifts?" a smooth voice asked. Elizabeth grinned girlishly.

"Yes, of course, although the products are too much and should be returned," she replied coolly to keep her tone the same so Tiffany wouldn't notice.

"I'm glad you like them, but you're keeping them. All of them. Quite a bit of thought went into each one. Alfred even had to help me!"

"Hmm. That's interesting. Still doesn't change the fact that they're too much."

"So did I make up for your birthday?" he asked hopefully, ignoring her argument.

"Yes."

"Good." Elizabeth could practically hear him smile through the phone. "How about dinner. Tonight."

"I'm sorry, but I can't squeeze you in then," she said. Tiffany had invited her over for the girl's night she had been talking about non-stop.

"Aw, why not?"

"Another meeting's been scheduled in, sir."

"You're no fun."

"I apologize for the inconvenience."

"How about lunch next week?"

"Only if I get to pay," Elizabeth said quietly, breaking down.

"Perfect! I'll pick you up when your lunch break starts Tuesday."

"Thank you, sir, have a good day," she said, hanging up the phone. Rolling her eyes at Bruce's persistent behavior, Elizabeth got back to work.

**Sorry for the short chapter. It was necessary to break it down for the next chapter. The next one is crazy long! And I promise it won't disappoint. Now, some of you have raised the question of why Bruce gave Elizabeth his mother's earrings on the first date. Well, Bruce is Bruce and that's what he does. Also, it was necessary for the development of their relationship. Same with her new bracelet. **

**Any suggestions? Questions? Or you simply want to tell me to update soon? Please review! I squeal like a little girl every time I get one! (Maybe it's because I'm a little girl inside. Oh well.) Thanks so much!**

**CraftyK13**


	6. Chapter 6

Over the next couple of months, everything had been quiet. Elizabeth had gone to work every day from nine to six, gone home, and played with Hazelnut, who had grown quite a bit. Tiffany and Elizabeth hung out on the weekends, watching movies and obsessing over the absurdly perfect bodies of the male leads. Elizabeth and Bruce had even had several lunch and dinner dates. _Dates, as if. I'm only being his friend_, she would console herself after the meal. But, Elizabeth felt stronger feelings than "just friends" towards Bruce. It was obvious whenever she looked at or thought about him. There was simply no denying it, no matter how hard she tried.

Snow had fallen over Gotham the first week of November. Elizabeth grew up in a small town in Texas, so she never experienced snow as a child. After moving to Metropolis in search of a job after she graduated high school, Elizabeth faced her first snowfall with slight fear. _Is it slick outside? Am I going to wreck my car? What if I get stuck?!_ Those fears fell far behind her as she drove to work that morning and survived the commute. After that, the snow was no problem for Elizabeth as she carefully maneuvered her way through the streets of Metropolis. Gotham was just the same. Elizabeth just had to make sure that if she did plan on going outside, she would need more practical shoes instead of her standard pumps. So, she invested in a pair of heavy-duty snow boots that would last several winters to come.

The nice thing about working at Wayne Enterprises, Elizabeth noted over the weeks of working there, was that she never took her work home with her. She accomplished her tasks, how complicated they may have been, and clocked out promptly at six each evening. The only difficult thing about work was balancing her "dates" with Bruce and still trying to keep a professional relationship with him. It took a lot of work for Elizabeth to control her feelings for him, but she felt that she was managing it well.

One day, while Tiffany was in the filing room, Elizabeth had just finished scheduling another board meeting and sat there with nothing to do. Bored and curious, she opened Google and typed in 'Oswald Cobblepot'. She clicked on the first result and began reading.

Oswald was born to a wealthy family in Newcastle, England. He grew up there and attended school at Winston's Preparatory School for Boys. He earned decent marks throughout elementary and secondary school and graduated early to attended a private college in Gotham when his family moved into the city. The Cobblepots lived in a family mansion just on the outskirts of Gotham. A gargantuan castle made of dark stone, the Cobblepot Mansion looked very medieval to its peers in the city.

Throughout his college education, Oswald studied ornithology and grew fond of the small bird shelter in the city. He even took a job there to 'help ease the boredom' as he once said in an interview. Whilst at school, his family ran into trouble with the local mob and lost their large fortune. Oswald had to drop out of his classes and help his family get back on their feet. There was a falling out between him and his family, causing Oswald to leave for the Orient on a five yearlong expedition. His parents and older brother moved back to Newcastle while he was away and he hadn't seen them since.

Oswald returned to Gotham with the desire to regain his family's former glory by building the Gotham Aviary in his family's old mansion. As co-owner and lead sponsor, Oswald had given new life to the birds in the Gotham area. It had been reported that birds from various areas have transported to the aviary to receive the top medical care so they may return to their natural habitats.

Elizabeth went through the rest of the articles, as she had nothing to do for the rest of the day, and read through much of the same material until she stumbled onto a peculiar blog.

The blog was run by Jeremy, a man who used to be in the mob but left because of all the crime.

_"Oswald Cobblepot, known to the mob as 'The Penguin', is a power hungry, megalomaniac who thirsts for blood. He runs an underground drug ring in his restaurant, The Iceberg Lounge, where over fifty types of illegal drugs can be purchased. Selling and manufacturing drugs are not the only illegal activities he is involved with; reliable sources say that the string of museum robberies a few years ago could be followed back to Oswald._

"_I used to be part of the trade and sell of illegal weapons and came across some of his own inventions, his specialty being trick umbrellas. Legend has it, that he is never without an automatic weapon, that they are hidden in the various umbrellas he carries. But because of his high social status with the aviary, the incompetent police department, led by Commissioner Loeb, ruled him out as a suspect._

_ "Not only has the Penguin been connected to the most violent and feared mob leaders, but he has dispatched some of the world's top assassins to take care of his dirty work. More than thirty people with links to the mob have wound up dead or beyond repair because of him."_

Elizabeth pondered this information for the rest of the day. She didn't doubt that Oswald could be linked to any one of those crimes. The two times she had encountered him, he seemed like the perfect criminal. Oswald had the cover of the aviary to make him appear to be friendly and non-violent, but up on the balcony he was ruthless and would have ordered Elizabeth to be dropped off the edge at the drop of a hat.

Shivering at the thought, Elizabeth was determined to find out what Oswald was up to in the mob. Wanting to get more information, Elizabeth scrolled through the blog and found the 'contact me' button. She opened an email and typed the following.

_Jeremy, _

_ I have read your blog and find your theories interesting. I would like to know more about the Penguin. Can we meet in person? Give me a time and location and I will be there. _

_ E_

Elizabeth sent the email and cleared her browser history so no one would know what she was up to. Logging out of her computer, Elizabeth buttoned her wool coat and grabbed her purse, and headed to the elevator with Tiffany. The two women said their good-byes and headed in opposite directions to their cars. Elizabeth drove home through the snowy streets of Gotham, reaching the apartment complex in less than fifteen minutes. Up in her apartment, Elizabeth checked her email and found a response from Jeremy.

_E, _

_ I would love to discuss more on the Penguin. I'm glad someone is willing to listen. Saturday around eleven o'clock, come to 8365 East Arkham Blvd. in the Narrows. Ask for Jeremy Willis. _

Smiling, Elizabeth responded quickly saying that she would be there and ready to listen. Hazelnut bounded over to her, sliding on the floor with a cheerful yip. Elizabeth crouched down and scratched behind his ears, going through the mail that came through the slot. _Bills, junk, bills, bills, junk, ooh, what's this?_ A brochure for the Gotham Aviary caught her attention. It had numerous reasons as to why she should visit with many photos of the birds that lived there. Scoffing, Elizabeth discarded the brochure and continued about her evening.

For the rest of the week, Elizabeth was counting down the seconds until her meeting with Jeremy. When Saturday came, Elizabeth showered and dressed in a pair of jeans and a sweater, not bothering with any makeup. She ate quickly and fed Hazelnut, making sure he would be okay for the day, and headed down to the garage. Typing in the address Jeremy gave her in the GPS, Elizabeth drove through Gotham's streets anxiously.

After almost thirty minutes of driving, Elizabeth crossed the bridge that led into the Narrows. The island was the more run down part of Gotham and it unnerved Elizabeth slightly. Weaving in and out of the ramshackle streets, she pulled up to the correct address. A large, black archway with the words 'Arkham Asylum' written across the top loomed above Elizabeth. Menacing looking trees covered the winding road past it. Gulping, she drove through carefully, beginning to doubt her decision to come. Elizabeth pulled in a spot reserved for visitors and made sure the car was locked.

Even in broad daylight, the asylum looked eerie and haunting. Elizabeth climbed the front steps with trepidation and went inside to the front desk. An older, irritated looking man sat in the standard Plexiglas box with little holes drilled in the front for communication. Elizabeth approached him as he looked up warily.

"Um, I'm here to visit Jeremy Willis?" she said, phrasing it as a question. The man nodded.

"Please put your ID in the slot," he said in a bored tone indicating the metal tray on the desk. Elizabeth dug through her purse and pulled out the card, placing in the tray. The man took it and looked at it, verifying its legitimacy. He put it back in the slot along with another badge that read 'VISITOR' in large, black letters. She signed in on the chart, scribbling her signature on the line along with the time and date. "You have an hour with the patient and if the overseeing guard orders you to do something, do it without hesitation," he said. Once he saw Elizabeth nod in understanding, the employee pressed a button and the gate slid open, allowing Elizabeth entrance into the hall.

She clipped the badge on her sweater and followed the guard into a brightly lit room with several stalls separated by walls. The guard motioned for Elizabeth to sit in the third one and walked away. She sat there patiently until a man in grey scrubs sat down in front of her.

He was older, about forty years old, with clean black hair and a freshly shaven face. His grey eyes were tired, but had some excitement sparkling in them. He would have been quite attractive if it weren't for the three long scars that diagonally crossed his face, marring the skin. He smiled at Elizabeth kindly and motioned for her to pick up the telephone next to her.

"Hello," he said politely. "It's nice to meet you. I'm glad you like my blog."

"It's nice to meet you as well, Jeremy, I'm Elizabeth," she said hesitantly. "I have to ask, before we begin, why you're here."

"Of course, it's only natural to be curious," Jeremy said, nodding thoughtfully. "After my time in the mob, I tried to live an honest life. It didn't last very long and I soon found myself in the darker parts of Gotham selling some more illegal weapons and drugs. I was disgusted with my behavior and checked in here so that there would not be any temptation to do those things. I live in the minimum-security ward with a few other patients and have access to the Internet at all times. I run the blog to warn any others who are looking to go into business with Cobblepot, but I sense that you're not one of those people," he said, observing Elizabeth.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I've had a couple of run-ins with him and I just wanted to know more about him. He seems like a very shifty character and I want to know what I'm dealing with," she explained.

Jeremy went into a deeper explanation of what she read on his blog, just giving her more examples of the kind of work Oswald did in the underground crime ring. Under the guise of the Penguin, Oswald took part in various robberies, his marks varying from museums, to private collections in the Gotham area. None of the official evidence led back to him, but Jeremy said that he personally was a part of a few of the robberies and his money came directly from the 'Bank of the Birds' as he liked to call it. Oswald also invented many concealable weapons, his favorite being the umbrella ones.

Oswald had a special team flown in from Serbia to mass-produce the weapons, keeping several of them for himself. The weapons varied from automatic machine guns to grenade launchers. The umbrellas sold on the black market for a reasonable price at two-grand apiece. Jeremy said that Oswald even had a few of his umbrellas modified even more to create the ultimate hidden weapon.

Being an avid bird lover, Oswald took to training some of the birds at the aviary to do some of his dirty work for him. Some of his preferred birds, like the falcons and hawks, were trained to fly into the city and pick up packages of drugs hidden in specific locations so that the drugs couldn't be linked to Oswald. Smaller birds like crows sent messages back and forth between him and the numerous mob leaders. Other birds were trained to attack at Oswald's command and could deliver many life-threatening injuries.

"When I was still in the mob about ten years back, he was making, packing, and storing the drugs in the basement levels of the aviary. Because it was his family's old place, he knew where all the secret passages went so he wouldn't get caught. It's the perfect location because he's the owner of the damn place; no one would question him about being there. The man may be crazy, but he's a genius," Jeremy finished. Elizabeth nodded, taking all the information in. Oswald did seem to have a handle on things and Elizabeth was eager to find out more about his operations within the aviary.

At the end of the hour, Elizabeth said goodbye to Jeremy, promising that she would email him as often as she could. The guard escorted her back to the front desk where she resigned her badge and signed out with the time. During the drive back into the main part of Gotham, Elizabeth's mind raced with all the new information she acquired.

"_What should I do?"_ she asked herself. Tapping the steering wheel impatiently, an idea struck her. _What if I could gather enough evidence to put the Penguin away? I could do that. It wouldn't require a whole bunch of super-spy work; just pictures and it would seal the deal. But whom should I give the pictures to? Definitely not the police; they can't be trusted. _

Elizabeth pulled into her apartment garage and went back to her living room where she pondered who to give the evidence to. If she gave them to the police, lord knows what would happen with the photos. Local newspaper? No. She didn't want to be linked back as the source. Elizabeth would encounter the same problem if she gave the photos to the news station. She needed to give the photos to someone reliable. Someone whom she could trust.

For hours, Elizabeth wracked her brain of someone or she could give the photos to. Sighing loudly, she grabbed the newspaper and flipped through it, trying to ease her agitation. She read an article written by a Jim Gordon about the crime rate in Gotham decreasing sharply after the introduction of the Batman. The city's police chief and commissioner didn't like him, but Gordon defended him thoroughly, stating facts about the criminals Batman brought in.

Suddenly, it felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over her. _Duh._ She could give the photos to Batman! He even said that Bruce calls him whenever there's something shady going on in the city. Smacking herself internally, Elizabeth couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it sooner. No one was more suited to handle the evidence than Batman. It was his job to put an end to the crime in Gotham when the police couldn't. While the police regarded him as a criminal, Batman brought in numerous big-name thugs, striking fear into the hearts of Gotham's crime lords. He was the reason for the drop in the crime rate!

Feeling like the world's biggest idiot, Elizabeth went into her closet and dug through her things, looking for her camera. Finally, she pulled out a slightly dusty black case and zipped it open. Inside was a professional camera that she won in a drawing during her time at Crowne Inc. With the camera, Elizabeth also won a lens that was perfect for zooming in really close and a few nature photography lessons. She attended the lessons, but never pursued the art of photography.

With the lens, Elizabeth could zoom in almost fifteen times more than a regular camera and the photo quality would still be high-definition. Because the camera was designed with nature in mind, the shutter makes no noise so it wouldn't scare the animals the photographer was trying to get on film. Smiling happily, Elizabeth turned on the camera and attached the lens, hunting through her apartment to find Hazelnut. The slumbering pup didn't even flinch while Elizabeth took a few practice shots, making sure everything still worked.

Satisfied with her equipment, Elizabeth quickly typed an email to Jeremy asking where the Penguin liked to meet with his clients. Instantly, she got a response saying that he would dig up some information for her and get it to her by tomorrow. Everything was starting to come together and it felt good. Elizabeth grinned and tried to continue about her Saturday normally, but the excitement over her how perfect her plan was kept distracting her. She couldn't even focus on the movie her and Tiffany were watching; Elizabeth saw the first few minutes and blanked out from then.

"Uh, hello? Earth to Liz?" Tiffany said, waving her hand in front of Elizabeth's face. Elizabeth blinked and shook her head.

"Hmm?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

"I just spent like, ten minutes talking to you and you didn't even hear a word I said!" she cried out indignantly.

"Yes I did," Elizabeth argued weakly. _Damn, what was she talking about?_

"Then what did I just say?"

"Something about dinner?" Elizabeth asked unconvincingly. Tiffany scoffed and crossed her arms. "I'm sorry, Tiff! I'm really distracted tonight and I just can't seem to focus on anything. Please, start all over, I'm listening now."

"What I was trying to say is that Kyle, from accounting, asked me out and I don't know if I should say 'yes'."

"Well," Elizabeth said. "Do you like him?"

"Of course I like him! What's not to like?"

"Then why are you so unsure? If you like him, go out with him!"

"It's not that simple though!" Tiffany screeched. "If I say yes, there's a chance that we'll become an item." Elizabeth nodded, understanding. "If we become an item, there's a chance that we may break up and it will ruin our friendship and I don't want to lose him and I just really-," Tiffany rambled, but Elizabeth cut her off.

"Slow down," Elizabeth ordered. Tiffany nodded and took a deep breath. "You really like him, right?" At Tiffany's nod, Elizabeth continued. "Okay. We know he likes you, so go to dinner with him and see how things play out. If dinner's awkward, then gently let him down and stay friends for a bit longer. When you're ready, go out for dinner again."

"God, you're such a genius," Tiffany whispered in awe. "Why don't you have a boyfriend already?" Elizabeth shrugged.

"No one's caught my eye," she said, lying slightly. _Oh ho-ho? What about our 'friend' Bruce? He's caught your eye. More than once. _Tiffany cocked an eyebrow.

"That's bullshit and you know it," Tiffany said. "What about Wayne? I know for a fact that you still meet up with him."

"We're just friends," Elizabeth replied quietly, picking at the carpet.

"Whatever. Just remember, when you come to realize that you totally like him, I'll be there to say 'I told you so'!" Tiffany cried, whacking her on the head with a pillow. Elizabeth grinned and joined in the pillow fight.

The next day, Elizabeth got an email from Jeremy.

_E, _

_ One of my buddies said that Ozzy's gonna be personally dropping off a batch of weapons at Port Adams, the old shipping yard, Wednesday. He said the drop-off's at midnight. Why do you want to know? Don't get yourself hurt. I know what this guy's capable of. _

_ Jeremy_

Elizabeth replied 'So do I' and closed her computer. Both excitement and dread filled her system. _What if I'm seen? I'll be dead for sure. But what if I don't? I'll get enough photographic evidence to take this guy down for good. _The fact that Oswald could be locked up for life outweighed the risks. Elizabeth set her jaw and looked at her calendar. She had dinner Wednesday night with Bruce at the penthouse. Those usually ran pretty late. Elizabeth needed a good excuse to leave dinner early so she could be sure to get to the port before Oswald left.

Just then, a terrible thought occurred to her. _How am I supposed to get the pictures to Batman? It's not like he has a hotline that I can call. _

"Shit," she cursed. Running her hands through her hair, Elizabeth closed her eyes in irritation. How could she be so stupid? Growling, she stormed into her bedroom to look out her window. It was cloudy and looked like it was about to snow. Gazing upon Gotham, Elizabeth saw a strange light in the clouds. It looked strangely like a bat. She followed the beam of light to a tall building not far from her apartment. Elizabeth ran back to her computer and pulled up a map of Gotham. She found her apartment and found the building. It was the Gotham Police Department.

_Why would the police department be calling Batman? They hate Batman._ Recalling the article in the paper she read yesterday, the name Jim Gordon popped in her head. _Jim doesn't hate Batman. So, the light on the building must be a signal to call the Batman. _Smiling, Elizabeth realized she just found a way to give Batman the photos.

The days passed by quickly and before Elizabeth knew it, she was eating dinner with Bruce. Alfred had prepared halibut with a butter sauce and asparagus while Bruce had chosen a white wine that paired perfectly with the fish and the two enjoyed another peaceful meal together. Elizabeth was lounging on the couch, sipping her wine while Bruce was talking about a vintage car he wanted to buy. She giggled at the way his face lit up like a child's when talking about it. Bruce looked so happy and untroubled. Lately, Bruce had been so worked up over something and Elizabeth couldn't figure out what it was. It was nice to see him relaxed and talk about something that made him happy.

Glancing at the clock, Elizabeth saw that it was already eleven thirty. Standing up, she stretched and yawned, drawing Bruce's attention.

"Are you leaving already?" he asked, pouting slightly. Elizabeth smirked and nodded.

"Why, do you have another car you want me to look at?" she asked cheekily, putting her empty wine glass in the kitchen. Bruce leaned against the counter, watching her put on her shoes. She had dressed more casual than she usually did and made sure to dress in her quietest running shoes so no one would hear her.

"Be safe," Bruce said, enveloping Elizabeth in a hug. She returned the hug and felt warm and safe in his arms. The way his muscles rippled around her body made Elizabeth feel like the only girl in the world. Bruce gave her his customary kiss on the cheek, which she blushed at as she normally did.

"I will, I promise," she said lightly, turning to get in the elevator.

"I mean it, Elizabeth," he said seriously, grabbing her hand. She looked into his brilliant hazel eyes. They were filled with concern and worry.

"I know," she said. "I'll be safe." Elizabeth hit the button in the elevator and watched Bruce as the doors closed. He gave her the tiniest grin before they did. Sighing happily, she leaned against the wall, playing with the tail end of her braid. Bruce always managed to make her feel special whenever she came over for dinner. He was attentive but not overly clingy like the guys at work. He also made sure that she was treated like a lady and nothing less. Bruce once told her that she was a princess and should be treated as such. Elizabeth scoffed and proceeded to behave un-ladylike on purpose for the rest of the evening, much to Bruce's amusement.

She got in her car and drove to the abandoned part of the shipping yard, parking a good distance away, as Oswald knew her plates. Grabbing her camera, Elizabeth snuck over to the decaying watchtower and climbed the ladder up to the roof. She got on her stomach and attached the lens, waiting for Oswald to show.

About twenty minutes passed and Elizabeth was about to give up when four black cars pulled in to the yard. A large black van and another smaller car pulled in from the opposite side, a large gap between the two parties. Elizabeth looked into the camera and started taking shots.

A number of large men got out of the van and parted for a short, fat man, who approached the smaller black cars. Another group of large men exited the other cars and parted for a tall man with foreign features. Elizabeth zoomed in further, and saw Oswald talking to the foreign man. He motioned for his goons and one of them came forward with a large box. Oswald opened it and pulled out a white block. Elizabeth recognized the packaging and knew it was cocaine.

Snapping more shots, Elizabeth watched as the foreign man looked pleased and nodded. Oswald's goon gave the foreign man's goon the box and the rest of the boxes were transferred from the van to the small black cars. At the end of the ordeal, Oswald and the foreign man shook hands, going their separate ways. All of the vehicles started and pulled away. Elizabeth went through all of the pictures, grinning the entire time. The pictures were perfect and Oswald could be depicted from each one. If this couldn't put him away, Elizabeth didn't know what would.

After waiting about fifteen minutes to make sure the area was clear, Elizabeth descended the ladder and got in her car. She drove to the Gotham Police Department and parked across the street. Sneaking into the alley next the building, she found a fire escape and climbed to the top. Elizabeth reached the top of the building in no time, and noted for a police station, they had terrible security.

A large spotlight was on a platform in front of Elizabeth. In the middle of the light, a black bat symbol, identical to the one on Batman's armor, was positioned so that when the light turned on, the shape of the bat would be easily seen from the sky. Elizabeth stepped forward and turned on the light. The cloudy sky was illuminated with the bat shape and she sat back, waiting for the Batman to show.

About thirty minutes into waiting, Elizabeth began to nod off. After all, it was way past her bedtime. Then a sudden swirl woke her up. She stood up and looked for the Batman, but he wasn't there. Deciding she was hearing things, Elizabeth turned to sit down and yelped in surprise.

Batman stood on the platform in his black armor, his long cape swirling around him in the breeze. He had turned the light off, so it had gotten much darker than it was before, making it more difficult to see him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in his deep voice.

"Do you always sneak up on people like that?" Elizabeth asked breathlessly, trying to regulate her heart rate. Batman said nothing and continued to stare at her intensely. "I have something for you," she continued, taking the memory card out of her camera. She handed it to him and he took it, staring at it curiously. "Those are pictures of the Penguin delivering cocaine to one of his clients."

"Why are you giving them to me?"

"I want you to do your crime fighting thing and turn him in to the police. To Jim Gordon. He seems like the only cop in this city with some sense," Elizabeth added, rambling. "I know what this guy's capable of. I don't want him on the streets anymore. Especially after," she said, but stopped herself. "The point is, he's doing illegal things and should pay for it. I trust you to get the job done right."

"One of his drop-offs isn't going to be enough to put him behind bars," Batman said. "If you want him put away for life, I'm going to need a lot more than just tonight's drop-off." Elizabeth sighed, irritated.

"Fine. I can get you more."

"No. It's not safe. This is the only time you will do this," he said forcefully.

"No!" Elizabeth cried out in protest. "You can't tell me what to do! If I want to do this, I can!" she argued. Batman looked at her, his expression unclear.

"You won't, and that's final," he declared. Elizabeth put her hands on her hips.

"Excuse me, but who do you think you are? If I want to help you, I will and nothing you can do will stop me! I'm helping you and that's final," she said, mimicking his words. "You don't have to like it, but I'm tired of living in fear of him. I still have nightmares because of what he did to me!" she cried, feeling tears building in her eyes. Elizabeth blinked them away, not wanting to seem too emotional. "I just don't want someone else to go through this," she said softly and looking into his eyes pleadingly.

Batman didn't move or say anything, but Elizabeth felt she had won the argument. Fiddling with her camera, she looked up to say something but he was gone. Taken aback, Elizabeth looked around the roof, wondering how someone could disappear like that.

"What kind of person doesn't help a lady back to her car?" she said under her breath, not excited for the trip back down the rickety fire escape. Suddenly, Elizabeth felt the sensation of falling, but was too shocked to scream. She landed gently on the sidewalk, looking up at Batman, a smirk playing on his lips. Standing up, Elizabeth hit him weakly on the chest. "Don't do that!" she whispered harshly.

"Sorry," he said, his tone saying otherwise. She huffed, straightening her jacket and getting in her car.

"Show off," she mumbled, driving back to her apartment. When Elizabeth collapsed in bed, the clock read 3:57.

"_Is it really worth it to go to sleep?"_ her conscience asked. _Yes._ Elizabeth closed her eyes and fell asleep instantly.

**So, I really hope you guys like the direction I'm going. If not, too bad. From this point forward, I'm going to be balancing her time with Bruce and her time sneaking around, trying to get the Penguin put away, so please let me know if you want more fluff time with Bruce or super-spy work. I'll try to work my best to give you guys what you want, but please realize I have a timeline to stick to and a carefully laid out plotline of where this story is going. But regardless, I hope you like it!**

**Please review! I love them all!**

**CraftyK13**


	7. Chapter 7

For the next few weeks, Jeremy supplied Elizabeth with the time and place of several of the Penguin's drug and weapon drop-offs. She would always be lurking, taking pictures of the exchanges for Batman. When she would get back to her apartment, Elizabeth would take out the memory card and put it in an envelope. She hadn't been able to see him recently, so the cards were piling up.

Christmas was approaching quickly and Elizabeth had been fortunate to not to have been caught up in all of the excitement. She hadn't heard from Anne recently about her plans for the holidays so there was no reason to get too over-worked about it.

Elizabeth arrived in the lobby a week and a half before Christmas and found a large tree in the corner of the room. It was decorated nicely, with gold and silver ornaments, bringing that little bit of holiday cheer to the room. Tiffany's desk was decorated with garland and matching ornaments and Elizabeth's desk was decorated similarly. She also saw bouquet of lilies by her phone, a big, blue ribbon tied around the crystal vase. Just then, the elevator 'binged' and Tiffany stood from her desk.

"Good morning, Mr. Wayne," she chirped. Elizabeth's head snapped to the elevator and found Bruce striding through the lobby. He wore a grey suit with a pale gold tie and upon further inspection; the tie had tiny Christmas trees on it.

"Good morning, ladies," he said brightly, looking at Elizabeth. "Nice flowers," he said with a wink, pointing to the bouquet on her desk. Elizabeth had trouble biting back a grin at his behavior.

"Thank you, Mr. Wayne," she said tightly, trying not to burst into laughter. He grinned and disappeared inside his office.

"Mmm. If I wasn't already with Kyle, I'd so tap that," Tiffany remarked, biting her lip.

"Well, it's a good thing you're with Kyle then," Elizabeth said, shuffling the papers on her desk.

"Why? Does someone have a crush?" Tiffany asked. Elizabeth's responding blush made Tiffany burst into giggles. "Oh my god! You totally do! Go for him honey, I'm sure he's great in bed!" Elizabeth kept her head down as she went into the filing room where she filed the papers and waited until her blush disappeared to return to the lobby. Tiffany was on the phone when Elizabeth re-entered the room then she hung up and went into Lucius' office.

Because Lucius was busy, Elizabeth took the faxes she received from one of the board members and went into Bruce's office. Bruce was standing shirtless in front of the mirror above his bar, stitching a nasty looking gash on his chest.

"Oh my god, Bruce! What happened?" She closed the door to his office and set the papers down on his desk then approached the bleeding man in front of her.

"I was ice-climbing and my axe wasn't stuck in the ice as well as I thought and it slipped, causing me to fall. The ice tore through my jacket and nicked me a little bit," he answered quickly. Elizabeth looked up at him, unsure.

"Nicked you? Bruce, this is really deep," she said, worriedly. Bruce waved it away.

"It's not bad. I just need to stitch it up and it'll be fine. Do you think you can help me? This is actually quite difficult."

"A-are you sure?" she asked, paling.

"Yeah, it's not difficult if somebody else is doing it. It's like mending a shirt or a pair of pants. You ever do that?" Elizabeth nodded slowly, tearing her eyes from the gnarly wound. "It's the same concept, just with skin. Here, give it a go," he said, handing her the needle. Gulping, Elizabeth took it with shaky hands and looked up into his eyes one last time for confirmation. Bruce nodded at her to start.

"Okay, um, how about you sit down," she suggested. Bruce moved with her to the couch where they carefully sat down. Minding the needle, Elizabeth scooted closer to Bruce. Practically sitting in his lap, Elizabeth began to sew the skin together. The entire time, she was well aware of his hands on her waist, but managed to remain focused on not messing up the sutures. She reached the end of the wound and looked to Bruce for further instruction.

"Now, take the needle and wrap it around the thread…yeah, like that. Make a loop and pull it through…there. Make another loop and pull the knot through that…ah, there you go," he instructed carefully, his breath tickling Elizabeth's face. She finished the knot and grabbed the scissors, snipping the thread.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Elizabeth grabbed the wet washcloth and began to carefully clean the wound. Bruce's muscles constricted and flexed throughout the process, nearly causing Elizabeth to mess up more than once. Satisfied with the wound's cleanliness, she placed a large piece of gauze on top of the wound and started wrapping a bandage around his torso. Because her arms weren't long enough, Elizabeth had to hug Bruce every time she wrapped the bandage around his back so she could put the roll in her other hand. Embarrassed, yet slightly pleased, Elizabeth sat back and observed her work.

"Nicely done," said Bruce, giving her a genuine smile. Elizabeth felt butterflies erupt inside as she was blinded by his smile. She nodded, unable to say anything in response. Suddenly, Elizabeth noticed their close position and abruptly stood up, tripped over her shoes, and smacked her head on the floor.

**Sorry! I know this one's short, but the next one will hopefully make up for it! Please bear with me! I trust you'll like the next one(:**

**Review, review, review! It only takes a second. Let me know how I'm doing! You guys are amazing and I love you all.**

**CraftyK13**


	8. Chapter 8

Bruce's concerned face was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his hazel eyes flitting around her face in worry. Elizabeth groaned and shook her head.

"Absolutely not. How long was I out?" she croaked, feeling the fast-forming lump on the side of her head.

"A few minutes. You hit your head really bad. How many fingers am I holding up?" Elizabeth narrowed her eyes, trying to focus on his fingers, but they kept moving.

"Um, six?" Bruce pursed his lips.

"All right, let's get you up," he said, carefully lifting her up bridal style to the couch and laid her down gently. Elizabeth put her hands to her head in an attempt to stop the room from spinning, but all efforts were in vain. Bruce came back into her vision, buttoning up his shirt and putting his tie back on. "I'm going to call you an ambulance," he said, moving to his office phone. Elizabeth's eyes widened and she tried to sit up but failed miserably.

"Don't you dare!" she cried hoarsely. "If you call an ambulance, I'll, I'll, I'll never speak to you again!" she threatened weakly. Bruce sat down on the couch by her waist and tucked a stray curl behind her ear.

"Hey, don't stress. I'm not going to call you an ambulance. Calm down. Try not to move. I'm going to drive you to the hospital, okay?" he said softly.

"Fine," Elizabeth whispered, her eyes closed. She felt Bruce's strong arms beneath her knees and under her neck as he lifted her to his chest. Elizabeth rested her head against his shoulder, keeping her eyes closed as Bruce carried her out of his office.

"Oh my god! What happened? Is she okay?" Tiffany asked, her shrill voice ringing in Elizabeth's ears.

"She fell and hit her head. I'm taking her to the hospital. Please inform Lucius of the situation and that Ms. Martin won't be returning to work today," Bruce said quietly, knowing the volume of his voice could hurt Elizabeth more. Tiffany nodded and went directly inside his office.

"My purse," Elizabeth groaned softly, pointing to her desk. Bruce grabbed it and placed it in her arms, heading to the elevator. He rode it all the way down to the garage, saving Elizabeth from further embarrassment, and walked over to her car. He dug her car keys from her purse and sat her down in the passenger seat, being attentive of her head. Bruce reached across her body and buckled the seatbelt then put the chair in a reclining position. Bruce carefully drove through Gotham to the hospital, parking in an empty spot up front.

Bruce entered the emergency room with Elizabeth in his arms, careful not to jostle her around too much whilst walking to the front desk.

"How can I help you, Mr. Wayne?" a young receptionist asked seductively.

"She's hit her head pretty bad and I want a doctor to look at her to make sure there's no major head trauma," he said, his eyes flicking down to a grimacing Elizabeth.

"Of course. Go down the hall to the left and the door on your second right is where I'll send a doctor in," she said helpfully, biting her lip. Bruce nodded and went in the room as directed, ignoring her flirtations. He gently laid Elizabeth down on the bed and sat in the chair next to her, softly rubbing his thumb across the top of her hand. The door opened and an older, male doctor walked in and stood next to Elizabeth.

"Hello, Mr. Wayne. I'm Doctor Ferris," he said, extending a hand towards Bruce. He shook it and returned to rubbing his thumb across Elizabeth's hand. "What am I dealing with here, today?" Bruce then went on to explain, in detail, what happened to Elizabeth, including how long she was knocked out. "Okay, I'm just going to check her out now, but it seems she's suffering from a mild concussion."

Ferris proceeded to do both cognitive and physical tests on Elizabeth and finished quickly. "Well, Elizabeth is going to be just fine. With a lot of rest, she'll be back to work in no time. Here's a prescription for any headaches she'll be getting. And before you go, please be aware that she might experience vomiting, nausea, fever, dizziness, and excessive sleep. This is normal, but should be treated with caution. If her condition worsens in the next twenty-four hours, please give me a call." He handed Bruce a card with his number on it and the prescription.

A nurse came in with a wheelchair and Bruce carefully put a dozing Elizabeth in the seat. The nurse wheeled Elizabeth out of the room and into the lobby where Bruce placed the order for the prescription. He only had to wait a few minutes for the bottle of pills he was handed and he suspected that it was because of who he was. _Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy._ Sighing, Bruce led the nurse who was wheeling Elizabeth out of the hospital to the car where he gently placed her in the passenger seat as he did before.

After thanking the nurse, he got in the car and drove back to Elizabeth's apartment where he carried her inside; ignoring the odd looks he received. Hazelnut greeted him at the door, yipping and spinning about excitedly.

"Hey, buddy," Bruce said quietly, putting Elizabeth in her bed. She groaned and rolled over, curling into a little ball on her side. Bruce removed her heels and tucked her in, making sure she was comfortable. He put her purse on her dresser and dug out the prescription bottle from his pocket. Placing the bottle on her nightstand, Bruce disappeared into the kitchen, searching the cabinets for a glass. He filled it up and put it next to the bottle. Sitting on the bed, Bruce observed Elizabeth's sleeping form.

She had average features that somehow worked together to show off her natural beauty. Her nose was covered in freckles, giving Elizabeth a girly look while her nose and jaw were womanly, bringing out the maturity in her face. Here eyes, when opened, were the deepest shade of blue Bruce had ever seen. They were alluring, with depth beyond a physical state; her eyes were filled with secrets and a hidden intelligence that not many got to see. Luckily, Bruce was close enough to see both the intellect and the free spirit within Elizabeth.

This brought Bruce to his next question. _Why her? Out of all the women you could get, why this one?_ Sure, Bruce's ambitions at the beginning were purely for sex, as he couldn't afford to keep anyone close because of his secret identity; those closest to him always kept dying because of Batman. But Elizabeth denied him; she saw him, in all his glory, and _denied him._ Now, Bruce wasn't used to women denying him. Being a Wayne, everything was handed to him on a silver platter since the day he was born. So, naturally, he had grown accustomed to getting what he wanted, when he wanted it.

For the public, Bruce made sure to come off as selfish, ignorant, and spoiled. But those who were close enough to him knew that he was none of these things. Bruce Wayne was caring, kind, and thoughtful. Alfred had seen this and it was painful for him to read the tabloids about Bruce's playboy antics. But, he understood that it needed to be done for the safety of others.

Elizabeth though, Elizabeth posed as a challenge to Bruce. As mentioned before, his ambitions were for sex, but after she denied him and kept the relationship distant and professional, Bruce was determined to get her, even if that meant only being friends. Elizabeth and her sharp wit were able to capture Bruce's attention longer than any other female had since Rachel's death. Bruce saw so much of Rachel in Elizabeth that he couldn't help but feel drawn to her. And that's how it was in the beginning of their friendship; Bruce kept seeing Elizabeth because she reminded him of Rachel. However, as their relationship began to bloom, Bruce didn't focus on the similarities between the two. He instead saw Elizabeth as she was meant to be seen; a strong, intelligent woman who could stand on her own.

Bruce had really grown to care deeply for Elizabeth over the past few months and ever since the incident on her birthday, he had kept her closer, making sure that she was safe. When Elizabeth had come to Batman with the photos of the Penguin, Bruce had done a little extra digging and found the facts to be true. That only made him want to protect Elizabeth more.

He had been there, dozing in the chair across the room when Elizabeth was at his house. He had heard her bone chilling screams as she experienced the first nightmare. It was because of the Penguin that Bruce made sure to keep in contact with Elizabeth, to make sure she was okay. He only allowed her to continue bringing Batman pictures because a, she would do it anyway, and b, he did not want her to constantly live in fear of one man. Bruce knew what that was like and would not wish it upon anyone.

Bruce didn't know how long he was thinking, but Elizabeth suddenly curled into his body, her hands wrapping around his arm.

"Bruce," she whispered quietly. At first he had thought she was awake, but when she did not stir further, he knew that she was talking in her sleep. Not wanting to disturb her, Bruce sat in that position for a few more hours, occasionally rubbing his thumb across her forehead. When Elizabeth woke up later, he made sure she kept still.

"Hey," he whispered, looking down at her face. "How do you feel?"

"Fantastic," she bit back sarcastically. Bruce chuckled. It amused him that even in pain, Elizabeth's wit was as sharp as ever.

"The doctor said that you need to take these pills, they'll help with the pain." Elizabeth nodded and suddenly looked green. She froze and looked up at Bruce in fear.

"What's wrong?" he asked, worry washing through him.

"I think I'm going to be sick," she whispered. Bruce swiftly picked her up and carried her to the bathroom, gently placing her in front of the toiled. Elizabeth lifted the lid and heaved the contents of her stomach into the bowl. Bruce held her long hair back has her shoulders shook. When she was finished, she rested her cheek on the rim of the bowl, tears rolling down her cheek.

"Hey, it's okay, it's okay," he said, brushing her tears away. "The doctor said this was normal. There's nothing to worry about."

"It's just so embarrassing. You don't need to see this, Bruce," she said weakly, trying to push him away. Bruce shook his head.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I've been through plenty of concussions, so I know what it's like. This is your body's way of handling the head trauma. It'll pass and in a few hours you'll be feeling normal." Elizabeth nodded softly, her tears slowly coming to a stop. She sat up and flushed the toilet, wiping her tears. Bruce handed her a towel, which she used to wipe her mouth. He helped her up while she brushed her teeth and rinsed her mouth thoroughly.

Once she was back in bed, Elizabeth took one of the pills and curled back up into a ball, closing her eyes. Bruce took off his shoes and his suit jacket, getting into the bed next to her. Elizabeth cracked an eye and watched him lean against the headboard. Bruce motioned for her to come closer and she curled next to him, her hand on his chest. She felt the bandage that she had carefully wrapped earlier and settled for fiddling with his tie. Bruce's arms wrapped around Elizabeth, pulling the comforter around her shoulders. She nestled further into his arms, resting her head against his shoulder. After a few minutes, Bruce heard her breathing slow and felt his eyes closing.

**So, what did you think? Inspiration for this chapter came from Annie Blackheart XD, who told me to get inside Bruce's head. Well, I did and I hope you guys like it! Sorry about the short chapter earlier, they were supposed to be a 2-in-1 upload, but my internet wasn't really working earlier. :/ I know I probably drew out the whole concussion bit (it's probably never going to be this dramatic in real life), but it was a big step in their relationship. And some of you requested more of Bruce/Elizabeth, I hope I didn't disappoint. **

**Anyways, thank you to all who reviewed! **

**CraftyK13**


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